Guest speaker Dr. Rivas
By David Lopez
The Texas Conjunto Hall of Fame hosted a film screening of the documentary “Songs of the Homeland” narrated by San Benito’s own Freddy Fender that examines the history of Conjunto music and the Mexican-American experience. The event featured guest speaker Dr. Olivia Rivas, a now retired Vice-President of Student Affairs at UTRGV. A San Benito native, Dr. Olivia Rivas discussed how she was not always the biggest fan of Conjunto music or avid participant in Mexican-American culture but how she has now come full circle in reacquainting herself with the vibrant culture she grew up in.
Dr. Olivia Rivas grew up in El Ranchito and attended La Encantada Elementary. Eventually her family moved into town where she would attend Landrum Elementary. She and her sister knew no English, but their mother told them not to speak a single word of Spanish at school or else they would be sent to the “other” school, Fred Booth. Ironically, her sister later went on to become the Assistant Superintendent for SBCISD in charge of curriculum.
Eventually Rivas made her way through college, attending A&M Commerce for her Doctorate degree. As a college student, Rivas wanted to be part of the American mainstream and separate herself from her Hispanic heritage. After graduating, her mother and father decided to celebrate her graduation by hosting a party in their backyard in which they killed and cooked a marrano and had Narciso Martinez and his conjunto partner Santiago Almeida play the music. Rivas, however, was not entirely amused.
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