Print The few words Nathian Rodriguez could say in Spanish as a kid were those he learned from listening to Selena Quintanilla on the radio. Rodriguez remembers feeling a special connection to the Tejano artist — a cultural icon and beloved role model for the Latino community. “Selena to me was that cultural anchor,” Rodriguez said. “She showed me that there’s not one correct way to be Mexican American. ... She was really that cultural template that I could craft my identity around because I was missing that in the media.” More than 25 years since her death, Selena continues to be larger than life.