By Greg Archer | Contributing Columnist
Herencia Mariachi Academy is a revered nonprofit organization known for offering a rich heritage of mariachi for nearly nine years. But the organization comes from humble beginnings.
It began with a parking lot conversation between several passionate people who went on to become the organization’s founders: Teresa Serrano, Juan Lopez, Daisy Martinez, Eddie Nunez, Familia Osorio, Ruben Sanchez, Joanna Chairez, and Maestro Rafael Palomar. At the time, they were all enrolled in a mariachi school in San Juan Capistrano.
Acting on the creative vibes they were feeling and wanting to take action, the group began meeting in the backyard of Sanchez’s house. A mission was created: To offer a well-rounded education that offers children lifelong skills and reassures their value in their communities.
The founding members wanted to also create, inspire, and develop youth through a series of diverse music programs.
Students in the Corona-based Herencia Mariachi Academy perform in Tucson, Arizona, at the Tucson Mariachi Conference in May 2024. (Courtesy of Herencia Mariachi Academy)
Within a month of its first gathering, Herencia was able to rent its current studio in Corona with about 20 students. As events kept unfolding, the founders contributed funds on a monthly basis to ensure expenses were paid.
“There is a lot of movement in the mariachi world right now,” said Serrano, who is one of the founding members and current board treasurer. “Our program is really driven by our commitment to provide a pathway to higher education through music. We want to do more of the preventive work — keeping our students, our youth, and children in the community busy with an instrument versus other things in the street.”
Over the years, the academy has grown. It now serves more than 500 students, ranging in age from 5 years to 70-plus. There’s an average of 80 students enrolled at any time.
“There wasn’t a mariachi academy in Corona for our kids to receive music and mariachi,” Serrano said of the organization’s beginnings. “Culturally, I come from a background where I’m one in my family to have an education and I didn’t really have mentors in my life. We really try to provide that for our students.”
The name of the academy is also an acronym. HERENCIA stands for Heritage, Education, Reach, Encourage, Nurture, Cultural, Inspire, and Accomplish.
Students in the Corona-based Herencia Mariachi Academy perform at the San Diego Mariachi Conference in July 2024.(Courtesy of Herencia Mariachi Academy)
Recently, the organization received a CIELO Fund grant through the Inland Empire Community Foundation. The CIELO Fund’s mission is to uplift and invest in organizations, initiatives and ideas that are led by – and serve – Latinos in the Inland Empire, its website says.
The grant allowed Herencia to take students to several mariachi conferences, including the Tucson International Mariachi Conference, which featured performances, workshops, and much more.
“We took about 36 students from our school out to these conferences, where professional mariachi instructors taught so many students at different levels,” Serrano said. “Our students were excited to see other students in the same age range engaged in all the programs.”
Looking ahead, Serrano said the organization is planning its first mariachi conference with the goal of making it a recognized conference in mariachi education. But getting the word out about its mission and work remains vital.
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Herencia is expanding beyond the academy. Some of its advanced students are providing instruction at Hemet Unified and Perris Elementary School District, with the goal of reaching a wider student population in the Inland Empire.
“We are adding additional schools each year,” Serrano said. “With the support of our parents and the support of our community, we will continue to grow and build on this dream—the dream to carry our traditions to the younger generations and live by our mission.”
Learn more about Herencia Mariachi Academy at herenciamariachiacademy.com.
The Inland Empire Community Foundation works to strengthen Inland Southern California through philanthropy. Visit iegives.org.
