It had been my dream to do a podcast about Selena for years.

I wanted there to be a record that really, really solidified her legacy and told us how

she changed culture, how she changed music.

And I wanted to use my craft as a storyteller to pay homage to this woman who left such a

tremendous impact on my life. I wanted to write a love letter to her through serialized storytelling.

So have you ever been so deeply affected by another person that their story literally

gives your life context and meaning and even a sense of belonging? Now what if that other person

was someone you never actually met and what if they'd been gone from the planet for more than

25 years, but still it was like they were present in your life guiding and inspiring you every day.

Well that it turns out is the power of authenticity and agency and legacy and in today's conversation

with award-winning journalist and writer and producer Maria Garcia. We dive deep into these topics

in a very cool and unusual way through the lens of the life of the iconic performer, Selena

Quintanilla, and the impact she had not just on Maria's life but on tens of millions around the

world, even decades after her tragic passing at a young age. And also not because Maria or for

that matter any of those millions knew Selena personally, but because what she embodied,

profoundly affected and informed the way Maria and those millions saw themselves, their sense of

wholeness, heritage, community and the call to celebrate uniqueness and embrace life through

a lens of possibility and joy. In the end it's really a story about belonging, which we all need

more of. So incredibly in the 27 years since Selena's death, her legend has only grown. Her

story has been told on large screens, small screens, countless interviews and continues to make an

imprint on media and culture and music that transcends generations and nationality and still

Maria knew there was more to be told she wanted to go deeper to ask questions, explore issues,

...