What If Mariachi Had Equal Access? with Alex Trevino II

Note: This conversation was recorded in late March 2026, so a few references (like upcoming events) may have already taken place by the time you're listening.

A tire explodes five minutes before a high-stakes interview and our guest still walks in ready to teach. That moment becomes a hinge point in Alex’s story, moving from an unstable stretch after professional performing to building a new life in Southern California through public school teaching and nonprofit leadership. The result is a rare look at what it actually takes to grow mariachi music education when the system around it isn’t built yet.

We talk about the unexpected power of elementary music teaching, where the goal is simple and hard: get kids to love music first. Alex explains how early childhood strategies make middle school and high school rehearsals stronger, more human, and more effective. From there, he shares the behind-the-scenes work of rebuilding the Riverside Arts Academy mariachi program, scaling from a handful of students to more than 250, hiring specialist teachers, and creating pathways that keep students progressing year after year.

Then we zoom out to the bigger conversation: why mariachi programs need standards that school leaders understand, how UIL-style adjudication influences growth in Texas, and what California can build through educator networks and CMEA momentum. Alex also tells the story of a student who traveled 21 hours to Texas for mariachi culture and returned inspired to pursue music seriously, plus what’s next for him as a performer with Mariachi Chiko and a new opportunity with Mariachi Rams.

If you care about mariachi advocacy, equity in arts education, and building programs that last, listen through to the end and join the conversation. Subscribe, share this with a teacher or director, and leave a review so more people find the work happening behind the music.