By the People: Conversations Beyond 250
Episode Description
Humanities Washington brought two Mexican musical traditions into dialogue through performance and discussion at an event in Wenatchee called “Traditions in Dialogue.” In this episode, Humanities Washington’s Violeta Martin interviews two performers from the event, Dr. Yesenia Navarette Hunter and Yajayra Ramierez. The guests share the history and traditions of son jarocho and mariachi, discuss how their own identities and lives have been shaped through these practices, and reflect on how they are using this music to build community and connection in Washington state.
By the People: Conversations Beyond 250 is a national initiative developed by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. The By the People: Conversations Beyond 250 podcast was produced by the Federation.
There are 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils in the US, one for every state, territory, and DC. These nonpartisan nonprofits were established in 1971 by Congress to make outstanding public humanities programming accessible to everyday Americans.
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Episode Transcript
Host/Guests
Violeta Martin (Episode Host)
Violeta Martin is the Director of Programs at Humanities Washington. She brings a folklorist’s lens to her role overseeing the Speakers Bureau, Family Reading, and other programs, including collaborative efforts with WACultures, the state folk and traditional arts program. Violeta has a Bachelor’s degree in comparative literature and the history of ideas from Willamette University and a Master’s in Latin American and Caribbean Studies from New York University.
Yajayra Ramierez
Yajayra Ramierez is the co-founder and Director of Mariachi Noroeste and Mariachi Juvenil Estrellas del Valle. She is currently pursuing a music degree at Central Washington University. As a lead violinist and vocalist, she brings technical precision and emotional depth to every performance. Yajayra leads musical direction, including song selection, arrangements, and vocal execution, while mentoring fellow musicians and fostering a culture of excellence within the ensemble.
Dr. Yesenia Navarrete-Hunter
Dr. Yesenia Navarrete-Hunter is an artist, musician, and Assistant Professor of History at Heritage University. Her work is deeply rooted in the local community, and her research has been featured in exhibits at the Yakima Valley Museum on subjects including the local history of quinceañeras, Japanese immigrants in the Valley, and migrant farmworker and labor rights. A longtime participant in Humanities Washington’s programs, Yesenia has served as a Speakers Bureau presenter, Master Artist, Public Humanities Fellow, grant recipient, and 2025 Humanities Washington Award recipient.
Show Notes/Learn More
Links:
By the People initiative homepage (Federation)
Of, By, For the People homepage (Smithsonian)
Event Page for Traditions in Dialogue: Mexican Music
Mariachi Noroeste on Instagram, Facebook
Learn more about son jarocho from Smithsonian Folkways:
- Music album: ‘¡Fandango! Sones Jarochos from Veracruz‘
- Mini documentary: Grupo Mono Blanco – ‘¡Fandango! Sones Jarochos from Veracruz’ [Behind The Scenes Documentary]
Learn more about mariachi from Smithsonian Folkways:
- Artist Spotlight/Album: Nati Cano: Mariachi band Leader
- All Smithsonian Folkways mariachi recordings
Photos:
Yajayra and several other members of Mariachi Noroeste pose with Yesenia and the Hunter family after the Traditions in Dialogue event in Wenatchee, Washington, organized by Humanities Washington as part of the By the People Initiative.
The Hunter family practices with Yajayra and Daniel Cedeño, a co-founder of Mariachi Noroeste who runs Mariachi Estrellas del Valle Academy with Yajayra to teach the next generation of mariachis.
A close up of the Hunter family’s tarima, a wooden platform used in son jarocho.
Yesenia dances on the tarima during a final song at “Traditions in Dialogue” while the Hunter family and members of Mariache Noroeste play together.
What are Humanities Councils?
Our nation’s 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils are nonpartisan 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations established in 1971 by Congress to make outstanding public humanities programming accessible to everyday Americans. Councils are funded in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and connected by their national membership association, the Federation of State Humanities Councils.
