LOS ANGELES — Amid growing fears of renewed mass deportations, the beloved L.A. band La Santa Cecilia hopes its upcoming musical performances can provide moments of joy and humanity for Angelenos.

“As musicians, we get the chance to open up a space like that for people to feel, to dance and feel happy,” says La Marisoul, the band’s lead vocalist, in a recent phone call. “From that joy, we replenish ourselves to continue on in life.”

Best known for its blend of Pan-American rhythms — including bossa nova, cumbia, rancheras and more — La Santa Cecilia will perform Sept. 13 and 14 at the Luckman Fine Arts Complex at Cal State LA, kicking off the theater’s 2025-26 season.

The upcoming event series will also usher in Hispanic Heritage Month, which begins Sept. 15 and is dedicated to celebrating the contributions of Hispanic and Latino people in the U.S. Yet, this year’s festivities may be subdued, as many Latinos across the country fear racial and ethnic profiling; on Monday, the Supreme Court ruled that U.S. immigration agents may stop and detain anyone they suspect is in the U.S. illegally based on their appearance, language and location.

Many Angelenos are expecting human rights conditions to worsen — including members of La Santa Cecilia, for whom immigrant rights have been central to their message. Earlier this summer, the band’s members attended the No Kings protests against President Donald Trump and the mass ICE raids taking place across Southern California.

“I’m concerned about relatives, I’m concerned about myself — I’m brown and Oaxacan,” says Pepe Carlos, the band’s accordion and guitar player, about the new Supreme Court ruling. “It’s sad that I can be asked for my citizenship, for my residency … my humanity is not being respected.”

One of the quartet’s most famed songs, “Ice el Hielo,” which was released in 2013, seems to underscore the current political dynamics at play. The song was inspired by real-life fears, then released as Arizona passed its controversial bill SB 1070 into law — which allowed police to stop and detain individuals suspected of being in the country unlawfully.

Sung over a swaying bossa nova beat, the verses detail the plight of three undocumented immigrants who work toward a better life, but who are swept up by ICE officials: “Ahora los niños lloran a la salida, lloran al ver que no llegará mamá.” (“Now the children cry when they leave, they cry when they see that Mom isn’t coming.”)

“Unfortunately, people do not understand that Mexicanos and Latino Americanos are indigenous to these lands. We’re not illegal in any way, shape or form,” says Miguel “Oso” Ramirez, the band’s percussionist. “ We’ll continue to play that song and we’ll continue to use our platform to speak up on behalf of our community.”

“We have to show strength more than anything in these times if we are in a position of privilege,” Ramirez adds. “We have to be strong and we have to question: What is legal?”

The track was part of their hit 2013 album, “Treinta Días,” which went on to win the Grammy for best Latin rock, alternative or urban album the following year. In the group’s acceptance speech, La Santa Cecilia dedicated the award to “the more than 11 million undocumented people that live and work really hard ... and that still need to live a more dignified life in this country.”

“As a band from Los Angeles, we experience so many things as immigrants living here, growing up and becoming strong in our duality of being Latin American, Mexican American,” says Alex Bendana, the band’s bass player. “I want people to feel proud of who they are and where they come from.”

The band has yet to issue a follow-up to its 2023 LP, “Cuatro Copas Bohemia En La Finca Altozano,” but have released three singles since — including the new track “Hojas en el Aire,” a wind and brass-heavy orchestra track inspired by the group’s time in San Andrés Solaga, Mexico.

The homecoming L.A. concert is part of La Santa Cecilia’s 2025 world tour, which includes stops in U.S. cities like San José, Seattle, New York City and Phoenix, as well as three dates in Spain and a first-time visit for the band in Finland for Womex, an international music industry exhibition.

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