The dancefloor at Club Cafe was crowded, as the speakers behind the booth, fronted by DJ HUNY XO, were turned up to the max in honor of the deceased 90s icon of Tejano music, Selena Quintanilla. 

The April 16 ‘Selena’ tribute show marked the 55th anniversary of the late singer’s birthdate. Selena was beloved by millions worldwide -- and for many listeners, her catalog served as their introduction to Tejano music, which fuses northern Mexican and American sounds. Her rise to fame brought Mexican culture and identity into the pop culture mainstream, cementing her legacy as an enduring icon and a source of inspiration for Latinos across the United States, particularly Mexican-Americans. 

By the mid-’90s, the young singer was poised for superstardom before she was tragically shot and killed at just 23 years old by the former head of the Selena fan club, who had just been fired for embezzlement.

“She was an inspiration to me,” says Club Café bartender, Coffin Grey. “I absolutely intend to make this a yearly event because I love and adore this community, and I want to give back to it in any way I can.”

In conjunction with the music, the South Side music venue entertained its guests with trivia hosted by Himboza and raffle baskets offered by local artists. Proceeds from the raffle and a share of drink sales went to support immigrant advocacy organizations Casa San José and Frontline Dignity. The event raised $1,857.58, according to Club Cafe’s instagram page. 

Grey, along with venue owner and organizer Maddy Lafferty, said that charity events and benefit fundraisers will continue to be a fixture of Club Café’s regular programming. Looking ahead, Club Café staff say they’re planning additional benefit shows in the coming months, including an envisioned event in observance of Juneteenth.

“We are thrilled with the turnout tonight, and we plan to use the donations for community organization projects, like rapid response training for ICE activity, education programs on personal rights during searches and seizures, and building care networks for immigrants facing detention or deportation,” said Frontline Dignity Executive Director, Jaime Martinez. “Because every political issue boils down to a matter of dignity and everyone deserves to have their neighbors show up for them.”

Ultimately, the energy under the roof of Club Café remained vibrant and lively right up until closing time, as HUNY XO spun their final record at 11 pm before listing off the raffle basket winners. For four hours, the crowd danced and swayed to the rhythm of Selena’s most iconic hits, like “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom”, “Como la Flor”, “Dreaming of You”, “Missing My Baby”, and other global tunes. 

“I love all kinds of music, but I especially love to mix things up by incorporating reggaeton, afrobeat, techno, hip-hop, and other club genres from around the world into my setlists,” HUNY XO told Pittsburgh Manifold. “I was especially excited for the show tonight, not only because I love Selena, but also because it gives our communities of the global majority a chance to feel seen.”

“I think [HUNY XO] put on an incredible show tonight,” said one guest who identified herself as Carly. “This is my first time visiting Club Café, and they made a great first impression. I’ve always loved Selena, and I love that they organized this show; it shows the kind of business they are, and I definitely plan to come back.”