From Guadalajara with Love and Song
By Lynn Mendoza-Khan, Founder & Artistic Director – Latinx Choral Project
Guadalajara greeted me like an old song—familiar yet full of new harmonies. As Artistic and Executive Director of the Latinx Choral Project, I arrived for a blend of business and pleasure, but left with a heart swollen by inspiration, tradition, laughter, and a renewed sense of purpose. This city, with its brilliant hues and ever-beating musical pulse, reminded me once again why I do this work.
La Escuela del Mariachi: A Living Legacy
At the heart of my visit was the Escuela de Mariachi de Guadalajara, founded by Fernando Briseño, whose own lineage flows straight from the roots of mariachi tradition. His father, Lino Briseño, sang and played with the legendary Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, and that legacy clearly sings through his son’s passionate commitment.
Fernando has created more than a school; he’s built a haven where young musicians grow into confident, passionate bearers of tradition. From modest beginnings in a tin-roof warehouse to its current vibrant home in San Rafael, the school now nurtures nearly 200 students.
I was deeply impressed by the level of musicianship, especially from the violin and vihuela players. In just five months, the teachers had cultivated such warmth, precision, and tonal beauty that I was honestly in awe. The intermediate-level students sang with clear, emboldened voices—full of conviction and expressive fire.
As our time together came to a close, something spontaneous and unforgettable happened. I began to sing “Guadalajara,” and within seconds, students gathered around, scrambling with joyful energy to learn the chord progressions. Before long, they were singing with me—harmonizing, laughing, dancing through the music. It was pure joy. A living embodiment of why this tradition must—and will—continue. I left feeling recharged, knowing these young voices carry the struggles and triumphs of our ancestors into the future.
Tlaquepaque: A Feast for the Senses
When I wasn’t immersed in musical joy, my family took me to one of Mexico’s most enchanting cultural treasures: Tlaquepaque. It’s a place where every cobblestone street seems to tell its own story, where folk art and rustic elegance coexist with human warmth and living tradition.
Stepping into its shops and galleries felt like walking into a Mexican kaleidoscope: bronze sculptures full of soul, hand-painted dishes with whiskered cat faces and playful messages, intricately carved wooden furniture, and a wooden bull rocking atop a flower-covered base that seemed ready to leap into life. Every corner awakens the senses with its vibrant colors, rich textures, and creative elements.
The high ceilings of the markets, wrought-iron chandeliers, hallways lined with pots and animal-shaped ceramics—everything breathes beauty and authenticity. The air is filled with music, laughter, and the cheerful murmur of shoppers and artisans. In one space, floor tiles form vibrant patterns as vivid as the textiles hanging on the walls; in another, mystical sculptures watch silently from leafy inner gardens.
And the food… oh, the food was a poem in itself! Crispy gorditas, tortas ahogadas bursting with flavor, stuffed zucchini flowers, guacamole, bubbling queso fundido in a molcajete, handmade tortillas still steaming, and tamarind margaritas—sweet, tart, and refreshing like a summer kiss. Each dish was a celebration of taste, every bite a bridge between memory and discovery.
Tlaquepaque isn’t just a place to visit—it’s a place to feel. To lose yourself in the art, in the stories stitched into ceramics and wood, and in long conversations with family under the shade of a flower-draped terrace. It is a sanctuary of creativity and living roots. A loving embrace from the Mexico that sings, creates, and shares.
Lucha Libre: Theater, Class, and Chaos
And then there was Lucha Libre. My cousins Jackie, Estela, and I fought our way through crowds like true luchadoras to find our seats. But the real fight wasn’t on the stage—it erupted from the stands. In the middle of the match, the lower section (wealthier fans) began taunting the upper level (working class) with thunderous chants:
“¡Putos los de arriba!”
The upper section didn’t hesitate:
“¡Putos los de abajo!”
It became a match of its own—a raucous, comical, theatrical explosion of class tension, where the audience stole the spotlight with their fist-shaking, taunts, and laughter. The actual wrestlers faded into the background as the crowd became the true spectacle. I couldn’t resist. I picked a side, raised my fist, and joined the wild chorus. For a moment, I wasn’t an outsider—I was a participant in the beautifully absurd collective rhythm of the people.
Returning Home with New Fire
Between the many delicious meals, long conversations, color-soaked walks in Tlaquepaque, my time with the School of Mariachi, and the uproarious night of Lucha Libre, this trip became something sacred. It was a journey of connection—to my family, to our traditions, to the very pulse of Mexican culture.
I return to Portland—and to the Latinx Choral Project—replenished, renewed, and ready. Ready to keep composing, directing, and lifting voices in harmony. Ready to carry these stories, these flavors, these sounds, and that deep ancestral joy into every note we sing.
Because in every voice, there is a bridge. In every concert, a homecoming. And in every folk tradition, a future that refuses to fade.
Let’s keep singing.
Con el corazón lleno,
Lynn Mendoza-Khan
Founder & Artistic Director – Latinx Choral Project