Today we’d like to introduce you to Carlos Samaniego.
Hi Carlos, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
The first time I formed the initial iteration of this mariachi band was in the year 2000. I was 20 years old and I was in my sophomore year of college. I was part of a college student-run organization called, at that time, GALA (Gay And Lesbian Alliance). I was also on the planning committee for this college group’s annual Campus Pride events. One of these events was a “mock same-sex wedding”, which was put-on as a form of protest, given that same-sex marriages we illegal in California and in the United States. Cal State LA was, and still is a Latino-heavy campus, and so I found it natural to blurt-out that we should have a mariachi perform for this wedding, as would be the case for most any Mexican wedding. I also thought out-loud in saying that it would be very cool if the mariachi group were to be made-up of all LGBT mariachi musicians. As soon as I said that, I regretted it because I was then tasked with trying to make that happen. Although I knew of a couple of mariachi musicians that were “out”, I didn’t personally know enough of them to make a full mariachi band. Fortunately, word got around that I was trying to make this happen and was given the contact info of several other mariachi musicians in different part s of the state who also identified as LGBT. Once these individuals knew what I was planning, they were more than happy to travel to Los Angeles from many hours away to be part of something historic. When the day of the “mock wedding” came, I presented for the very first time, Mariachi Arco•Iris de Los Angeles (The Los Angeles Rainbow Mariachi). That first event paved the way for what ended-up being several months of LGBT-related performances. This first version of the band fizzled-out due to my lack of experience in leading a professional group, as well as my focus on my academics. Over the next 13-14 years, I continued to perform mariachi music professionally. As time passed, I grew tired of the discrimination and bullying from other mariachi musicians in the macho world of the Mexican folk genre, and in the Mexican/Latino culture. Finally in February of 2014, I formed own own group, still focused on the music, but with an all LGBTQ+ lineup.
Currently, all 12 members identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, asexual and/or pansexual. I wanted to create an environment for musicians like myself, where we can be free, and we can just be who we are authentically, to able to perform our beautiful mariachi music without having to worry about the bullying the discrimination.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s definitely been a difficult, yet most rewarding road. Leading a group of people is ALWAYS going to involve difficult moments. Dealing with clients, organizations, the public at large, and fellow musicians has its challenges. As time has passed and we’ve continued to grow and have more success, I have also found the need to contract other individuals and services in order to keep things moving forward and keep up with the demands of said success. Unfortunately, the nature of ANY mariachi, is that of a revolving door. Many musicians have come and gone, and come back, and have left again. I will say that the current group, for the most part, is the most time that any of the people in Arco•Iris have remained.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am currently on staff at Cal State Northridge as a University Lecturer since the Fall of 2020 as the first person to teach the Mariachi Ensemble, Mariachi Los Matadores de CSUN” through the Music Department. I am the founder, owner, and director of Mariachi Arco•Iris de Los Angeles (Los Angeles Rainbow Mariachi), which is the world’s first LGBTQ+ mariachi group. Mariachi Arco•Iris de Los Angeles has created history in being the first to establish a mariachi of its kind. In addition to the aforementioned. I also work full-time as a Spanish-language Court-Certified Interpreter and works for the Los Angeles Superior Courts for the County of Los Angeles.
I trained classically as a violinist and as a singer, and utilize my experience of over 24 years to lead this historic ensemble. After attending and graduating from Cal State LA in 2002, I continued my operatic studies in Italy, and then in New York. Eventually, after returning to Los Angeles in 2010 and after coming to the conclusion that a career in opera wasn’t going to happen, the recreation of Mariachi Arco•Iris de Los Angeles finally takes place in February of 2014. Throughout the entire time that I was pursuing and studying classical music and foreign languages, I never stopped playing mariachi music professionally. In fact, it’s thanks to mariachi music that I was able to pay for my studies and make a living. However, being faced with discrimination, bullying, and homophobia while performing with various mariachi ensembles, I decided to create a safe space for mariachi musicians within the LGBTQ+ community.
In 2023, The Los Angeles Rainbow Mariachi received two awards for the work and message of inclusivity that they promote through their passionate music. In that same year they made their Lincoln Center debut. Now in 2024, they debuted their third album in celebration of their tenth year of existence. Furthermore, this historic group made their PBS debut and was honored by the Los Angeles City Council at the historic Los Angeles City Hall during the Pride Month Kick-Off ceremony. Among many of their accolades, they have been documented by the U.S. Library of Congress for making history and they are included in a university text book published by Oxford University Press entitled, “Global Music Cultures; An Introduction to World Music.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mariachiarcoiris.com
- Instagram: @mariachiarcoiris
- Facebook: @mariachiarcoiris
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@mariachiarcoiris90014
