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The Grace of Celia Cruz
I had the honor of working with the “Queen of Salsa” in the mid-1990s. At the time, Celia Cruz was signed to RMM Records and I worked as their West Coast publicity director. A publicist’s dream, she was always positive and genuinely nice to everyone around her. She showed respect for those that worked hard to get her image and music out to her public. She was very generous to the media and did every interview. Celia had a gift for remembering names and signed autographs for anyone that wanted one. When I helped organize José José's 35th Music Anniversary in Miami in 1997, Celia and her husband, Pedro Knight, were so gracious. They didn’t ask for anything special and sat unassumingly among all the other guests. That night Celia, and other well known artists like Juan Gabriel, Angélica María, and Albita, all sang to José. Committed to the community, Celia, Pedro, and José José did not hesitate to donate their time in 2000 to tape public service announcements for a census campaign by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF). They understood the positive impact that an accurate Census count would have on all Hispanics living in the United States. A couple of weeks after Celia’s death, I had dinner with José José, my old boss and dear friend, and I invited him to share his memories of the celebrated singer.
He paused for a moment to look at the gathering of people looking through the window to catch a glimpse of him. He waved to the crowd and they waved back excitedly. He then turned his attention back to me and his eyes lit up: “She was incredible at showing love for the people around her, especially her fans. She loved her work and it showed through her recordings and her performances. Most importantly, she was a woman of honesty and integrity. She had great respect and love for her husband, and her family. When I was going through a very difficult time in my life, she offered her support through words of encouragement. Celia’s smile was radiant and it projected joy and hope to her adoring fans. She was my friend and a very special person indeed. My wife, family, and I will remember her in our prayers and she will be in my heart forever.” By the time José and I finished dinner, a larger group had formed outside the restaurant. Ever mindful of his fans, just like Celia, José first made his way to the kitchen to thank the staff for preparing the meal. I pulled out a stack of AARP Segunda Juventud publications with José’s photo on the cover from my briefcase. José immediately took one and autographed it for the busboy. “What is your name? Do you want one for your mother too?” The visit to the kitchen complete, José walked outside to say hello to the crowd. He used the valet podium to sign autographs for everyone. Finally, we said our goodbyes and I drove off. During my drive, I remembered the last time I had a chance to say hello to Celia—backstage at the AARP Supersite during the Fiesta Broadway 2002 celebration in Los Angeles. There were at least 15,000 people waiting to see her. She exited her trailer and made her way toward the AARP staff and volunteers who were waiting to pose for a photo with her. I asked her to pose with a copy of AARP Segunda Juventud (she was on the cover) and she did. On her way to the wing of the stage, she was followed by a huddle of TV cameras and reporters all waiting for a quick sound bite and glimpse of the icon. My colleague, Aiyshen Padilla, asked her for an autograph and Celia obliged. On my drive home from dinner with José José, I listened to Celia Cruz sing "Vida es un carnaval," and suddenly the words to the song had a greater meaning. David Damian Figueroa works for AARP as associate state director in Pasadena, California. Now read AARP Segunda Juventud’s 2002 profile of Celia Cruz, as well as an exclusive interview with José José. |
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