in 1989 and thenVen Conmigoin 1990. She also made
several advertising endorsements and became a
well-known figure in Hispanic media and popular
culture. Selena’s music helped to increase respect
for Tejano as a serious cultural form, and other
Tejano groups such as La Mafia and Mazz found in-
creased exposure.
Selena’s career embodied Latina theorist Gloria
Anzaldúa’s idea ofla frontera(the borderlands). An-
zaldúa urged a greater acknowledgment ofmestizaje,
or cultural mixture. Selena’s 1992 album,Entre a Mi
Mundo, and her 1994 Grammy-nominated Amor
Prohibidowere examples of an American singer be-
coming a mass phenomenon in Latin America
through Spanish-language songs. She won a Grammy
Award for Best Mexican-American Album forSelena
Live!(1993).
In 1992, Selena married Chris Perez, the guitarist
for Selena y Los Dinos. Selena seemed to be on her
way to a long and fruitful career. The president of
Selena’s fan club, Yolanda Saldivar, however, was a
mentally unbalanced and aggressive individual.
When Selena confronted Saldivar about possible
theft and misbehavior, Saldivar fatally shot her. The
extensive coverage of Selena’s death in the media
helped to make her song “Dreaming of You,” as well
as the album of the same title, a huge crossover hit.
Saldivar was later convicted of first-degree murder.
Impact Selena’s death made her even more fa-
mous than she had been while alive. She became
one of the best-known Latina singers in the world. A
1997 movie about the beloved singer, played by ris-
ing star Jennifer Lopez, only increased her posthu-
mous visibility. Her tragic death also underscored
the violence and instability associated with celebrity
lifestyles in the 1990’s.
Further Reading
Arrarás, María Celeste.Selena’s Secret: The Revealing
Stor y Behind Her Tragic Death.New York: Simon &
Schuster, 1997.
Valdes, Carlos. Justice for Selena: The State Versus
Yolanda Saldivar. Victoria, B.C.: Trafford, 2005.
Nicholas BirnsSee also Latinos; Madonna; Music; Shakur, Tupac. Seles, Monica
Identification Professional tennis player
Born December 2, 1973; Novi Sad, Yugoslavia
(now in Serbia)
After winning seven grand-slam tournaments in 1991 and
1992, Seles was stabbed in the back by a zealous fan of Steffi
Graf and did not return to the professional circuit until- Her injur y not only prevented her from becoming the
outstanding female player of the decade but also empha-
sized the vulnerability of professional athletes to attack.
After leaving her native Yugoslavia in 1986 for the
United States, Monica Seles attended Nick Bol-
lettieri’s tennis academy in Florida and turned pro-
fessional in 1989, when she was just fifteen years old.
In 1990, she was the youngest player ever to win the
French Open; in 1991, she won three grand-slam
events (the Australian, French, and U.S. Opens);
and in 1992, she repeated as champion in those
tournaments.
The Nineties in America Seles, Monica 763
Selena.(AP/Wide World Photos)