Mexican born Ana Hernandez, came to Canada 20 years ago to pursue a master’s degree in software engineering, met and married her husband Luis Alapizco, and has built not only a family at home but also in the community.
“I have accomplished more than I ever thought of,” said Ana. “I feel proud of the little girl that is in me and I clap for her and I think I am capable of doing much more.”
This 2023 Women of Distinction Award winner has been standing out her whole life.
“When I was in Mexico, I was the only women in my generation studying electronic systems, and when I came here, there were a few women in software … more men for sure.”
There have been challenges maneuvering her way through this male dominated field.
“I think it is way more in Mexico, because there’s lots of men that are more dominant and they don’t give a path for women that much and 20 years ago it was more difficult,” said Ana. “Even in countries like Canada, unfortunately, we’re not there yet, there is still a shadow for women, but we are opening our ways.”
Ana works for SaskTel International as a senior technology engineering manager.
Ana has always liked math and is an analytical thinker but focussing on academics while growing up didn’t allow her to develop artistically.
“There was another part of me that was very artistic,” said Ana.
When her children were taking music lessons, she decided she would start to learn the guitar.
Ten years ago, Ana founded the Latinos en Regina Association.
Luis is also involved in the association. “I’m more into the logistics,” said Luis. “If there’s a problem, I jump in and try and fix it.”
With so many of the Latin community offering different services, like Spanish classes, art and music classes, Luis said, “The main focus was to create a community centre so we can get together and grow many of the projects that we all have … it was all spread out.”
“She’s one of those kind of leaders that likes to live as an example of how to do things because she doesn’t like to do things halfway,’ said Luis. “She has a process that you sometimes look at her and she’s just thinking, and it’s because she’s planning everything in her mind first, and then she brings those things to fruition.”
Then they started with social events and gatherings to meet others in the community.
“Once the association was created it was with the goal in mind of having a community centre,” said Luis.
The idea Ana had was to start with a Facebook page that would combine everything to get people in the Latino community to share information.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090782753053
“We put a group together to help the people that were just coming, landed immigrants from the Latino community, to find other people like them or to give them some kind of support,” said Ana. “We would help them get some furniture or some jackets or winter boots, to get them started.”
The association also helps by offering English speakers to translate for doctors, psychologists or lawyers. They wanted to grow the association to better assist the community in various ways.
The first party for the association was the Latin Oscars, nine years ago at the Ramada hotel. Ana invited a performer to sing and perform alongside her. She even purchased the mariachi suit online for him. Last minute, due to work commitments, he was unable to attend.
Ana told her husband, “We’re singing and we’re going to wear mariachi outfits, and he left panicking saying we’re not singers and we’re not doing that.”
“He didn’t want to because he’s shy,” said Ana. “I am not and I didn’t care and was like we’re going to do this, we’re going to memorize the songs and we’re going to entertain people.”
“She came to me and said you’re singing, not asking, just the assumption,” said Luis giggling. “To be honest, I’m a shy person … it was a little bit difficult to jump in, but you know I said let’s do it, this is going to be something that I will remember when I’m older, and I jumped into the suit.”
They practised singing with a computer doing karaoke style and Ana told Luis, “Hey, we need to move, you need to do this movement.”
“Ana, I need to concentrate and try to sing, now you want me to dance as well,” said Luis. “It was a fun experience … but I thought that was going to be the end of it.”
Ana said, “I pushed him on stage, then I was in front of him telling him how he should move his hands and sing.”
There was such an overwhelming response to the performance, Ana thought about creating a mariachi band, but as she thought about it, it was only voices with a recording and outfits and no instruments.
Mariachi started in the 18th century in Jalisco. Originally the band played only string instruments, but over time has evolved to include the trumpet, and vocalists.
The original outfits are very expensive, and the instruments for mariachi are very specific.
Ana wanted to use the mariachi band for their Latino events, to help connect people to the culture and their roots.
“I put a sign on Facebook and asked people from the community if you know how to play an instrument from mariachi please call,” said Ana.
“She got together with our teacher who is basically the brains of the mariachi, Martin Gonzalez, he has experience to play in groups in Mexico and the US,” said Luis.
There were some struggles initially because there was no trumpet player or anyone who knew how to play the guitarrón.
“We couldn’t find a trumpeter anywhere, but my husband said I’ll take it, I’ll do it,” said Ana.
“I went to a pawn shop and bought an old trumpet, and slowly with patience, using YouTube, I started learning a little bit more,” said Luis.
Martin Melo, a self-taught bass guitarist and a past member of the Mariachi band that has been in Canada for 20 years, met Ana 10 years ago socially.
“She used to do little parties at home just to meet more people,” said Martin. “We used to play guitar there and sing, do karaoke nights, barbeques.”
Martin was one of the first members of the mariachi band and remained in the band for four years.
“She messaged me one time on Facebook and said she had an idea of starting a mariachi band,” said Martin. “I play base but then she asked if I will be able to play the guitarrón, so I say I’ve never seen that instrument in my life, only on YouTube, let’s try and see what happens.”
“We were lucky to get Martin Melo, who is a very experienced bass player in Columbia, and he said I’ll take the challenge and learn it,” said Ana.
Martin left the band last August as he had an opportunity, with some friends in Calgary, to start a band playing the music he played back in Columbia.
“The mariachi are required to practice twice a week,” said Martin. “It was getting too much for me.”
“Ana to me is a good friend,” said Martin. “She’s a leader for the community and she is a really smart lady, and she likes to have fun, and she tries to help a lot of people that are newcomers from South America and other parts of the world as well.”
Ana is not only the visionary of the band, the lead singer, but also the band manager.
“She was open to all the suggestions from us,” said Martin. “Any musical suggestions, she takes them into consideration.”
As the band was forming, Ana went down to Mexico with her children and purchased all the instruments and hats and traditional outfits.
“There was an investment, it wasn’t easy to even get the money to pay for everything, we had to go through fundraising,” said Ana. “I was very ignorant, I didn’t know anything about grants or that you could apply for grants, so the first year was difficult but then it started getting better.”
Although Ana is not a trained singer, she said, “I think it’s more than the voice, it’s the connection … I like to create that connection with our public and make everybody feel important and get an experience of feeling happy.”
This self-taught singer and guitarist created a registered mariachi band and four years later has performed for audiences in 130 places alongside her husband, and professional musicians from Columbia, Chilli, Mexico and even Canada.
The band was recognized for the best cultural group in Saskatchewan for the Latino community and is now recording their first album.
https://www.mariachilatinoband.com/
The members of the band have bonded like a family, and they celebrate with one another and have pictures of each other in their rehearsal studio.
“What I try to do is make everyone feel important,” said Ana. “There’s respect and tolerance and encouragement between us and we care for each other, and I believe that is one of the reasons that has kept us together.”
Ana said the main objective of the band outside of sharing the culture is, “To be happy, and I want other people around me to be happy. In the moment that we stop being happy, it is not worth it anymore.”
Years ago, Ana donated a kidney for her mom. She was very weak afterwards and couldn’t sing.
“It just gave me a reflection, and I think we shouldn’t have to wait to have a reflection time, we should just jump and do what we want to do in life because you never know if you are going to wake up the next day,” said Ana. “Believe in you.”
Ana utilizes her agenda to stay organized, prioritizes what needs to be and has learned to say no to things.
“She’s very organized,” said Martin. “She likes to be on time for everything, and she gets a lot of shows over the year. I enjoyed every one of the shows I played with the Mariachi band.”
Ana has enjoyed working as a volunteer for many organizations over the years.
“I wish I could clone myself and do more things,” said Ana. “If people only knew the happiness that it brings you to help others. Our world would be much better if we care for others because everything comes back to you.”
As Ana has taken on so many leadership roles, she said, “Leadership has lots of shades, but leadership means seeing the best of everybody to make them a better version of themselves. Leaders need a heart.”
“Don’t forget about your people, because our people make us stronger and when you make someone feel important, valued, they will stand up for you,” said Ana.
After winning the Women of Distinction award in 2023, Ana was very moved.
“The life of a woman is difficult … we’re given the opportunity to go to work or school, but we haven’t been released from all the other tasks of raising children or taking care of the home,” said Ana. “I believe women in general are amazing … I feel very happy that we’re making a difference.”
Ana said of her strengths, “I only have one, and I think that is resilience.”
“I’m really proud,” said Luis of his wife Ana. “Seeing a person like her with that focus, that drive that she has in order to help the community … invest so much time and money … many things require some sacrifice.”
