Las Mata Maridos

I wanted to take a moment to tell you a bit about myself before we delve into the countless stories that will follow. My name is Arlene Sanabria. Born and raised in East Los Angeles, California. The idea behind the women came from a set of music videos my brother and the musical group, also based out of L.A.; Casa De Calacas, which was composed by family and friends redid two mexican classic songs by Jose Alfredo Jimenez. The rough video plot, if memory serves me well is the down on his luck drunk loses his lady love to another guy and she has the nerve to flaunt it in his face. He sings the first song (Ella) while surrounded by girls. Promoted on Myspace which back then was the social media giant as an all call for all the young honeys.

My intention for this music video was to hide in the background and at the same time show support and solidarity to my brother and cousins. I had also asked my soul sister, Itza to accompany me. We got all done up in the theme of the video which was to highlight the mexican classic that this remake was going to be. Never once thinking we were going to be anything more than background characters, we really dressed the part. You can see it on the instagram page “matamaridos” I will post the pictures I have from that video shoot.

We arrived and waited and after a while one thing had become crystal clear… She and I were the only two “girls” for this video! I really wrestled with this back then as the reality of the moment began to sink in. I was all set and ready to hide in the back and maybe get lucky enough to catch a glimpse of us far off in the distance somewhere and then catalogue that memory in my brain for old age. All of a sudden, I blinked and I was right up in front sitting to the right of my cousin, the lead singer while my friend sat to his left. I had to make my peace with all my insecurities and just bite the bullet and get it done. When all was said and done, it was such an amazing experience to be among so much creativity and so much love and appreciation of music that it totally outweighed how huge I felt I was going to look on screen. In fact, shortly after the first one got done, the “women” made an appearance in the continuation “Y Andale” The plot followed our lovable love sick borracho right to the steps of his lady love, bringing her a traditional mexican serenata in attempts to woo her from her new love. Again, this experience was once of so much fun and joy that I will remember it always.

It was at this time that the little seeds that would be planted in my head would grow root and come out the basic idea behind the story that would become Las Mata Maridos. This idea centered around the power and strength of friendship, the power of women and the network they could build alongside a trusted soulmate and gatekeeper who would forever guard their secrets and never betray them. I had gone over the idea with my brother and after much encouragement I proceeded to write a rough draft faster than I had ever written anything in my life. It just flowed through me like something that has always been inside of me laying dormant until the proper incentive came along to wake it up. Once I was done with writing the story there was still some time before I could figure out what I wanted to do with it. Not one to ever be cocky about my writing and in fact terrified it would be mocked and made fun of, I didn't show it to anyone with the exception of my brother. I feared rejection, mocking and humiliation,as if somehow the opinion of others mattered more than my dream to get the story out. It was only a matter of time before I saw the bigger picture and that was when I began to weave little bits and pieces of “the women” into other stories I had written that I felt a personal attachment to.

I held off for a very long time, years in fact. My chicken shit fear and life got in the way...and then the bubble burst and I was made to take a good look at myself and pick up the pieces of the shattered mirror that mattered most and this idea was one of them. I had modeled these women after my role models I had growing up. The women are made up of several bits and pieces of females in my life that have made an impression or taught me something about life, but at the heart of who these two really are my grandmothers. I grew up hearing small pockets of their lives and struggles and marveled at how they could accomplish the things they did on such limited means. Migrating to a new country, one alone and one with children and making their lives work by any means necessary! Both my grandmothers lived to be 90 and up, with no nonsense no bullshitness about them I can only hope to tap into and channel in my golden years.

It's that very spirit that inspired the creation of the women and for that I could not be happier. Luz and Cielo are my tribute to Hermerehilda and Maria de Jesus. Without getting too mushy and weepy, I will impart a tid bit of my Oscar style speech and tell you all that their legacy was buried deep in my soul and when my spirit is its dimmest, it is their ora that lights my path and it is then I know I can overcome anything.

We all live in such uncertain times. Our day to day is not like anything we are used to. Our tomorrows are a thing of the past and therefore we can and should only live for today. Find the thing that drives us and push our way into making it happen no matter what or how many times it takes to get it right. I took a first shot at it, wasn't happy with it, so I went back, worked on it and tried to fix the areas I thought it was lacking and now I'm back for a second round with a few changes. Tune in, it's about to get exciting.

If this crazy COVID year has taught me anything, it is that our survival depends on the precautions we choose to exercise to not only protect ourselves but each other as well, I would like to pay it back. Therefore it is my plan to promote and bring attention to small business in my community and when that runs out I will expand further out and take suggestions from listeners as far as who they would like to see not only highlighted but celebrated as well.