Peso Pluma Speaks at CUNY's First Mexican-American Graduation and Other Latin Music Highlights

Peso Pluma was the guest speaker at the City University of New York’s first systemwide Mexican-American graduation ceremony on Saturday, May 2, a milestone event held at the Lehman College Center for the Performing Arts in the Bronx.

The ceremony brought together nearly 200 graduates from 14 CUNY institutions and was organized by the CUNY Mexican Studies Institute with student input. It was led by Dr. Lizbeth de la Cruz Santana, assistant professor of Black and Latino Studies. In a statement to Billboard Español, de la Cruz Santana called it “a historic milestone” and said the invitation to Peso Pluma reflected an effort to recognize Mexican and Mexican-American communities across New York City and the U.S.

She also pointed to the broader history behind the occasion, citing educational inequality faced by Mexican-American students in states including California, Texas and Arizona, as well as landmark actions such as Mendez v. Westminster and the East Los Angeles Walkouts.

For graduates, the singer’s surprise appearance made the moment feel larger than a typical commencement. “I couldn’t believe it when I saw him walk out!,” graduate Rachelle Campos-Suarez said. “To witness such a historic moment for our community, our culture, and future generations was very emotional and unforgettable.”

Alumni and student organizer Michelle Cruz added that the event honored not only graduates, but also their families and others who supported them. She said it also sent a message to higher education systems that “We belong here too.”

Eduardo Galán opens a Venice exhibition

Venezuelan multidisciplinary artist Eduardo Galán, who appeared in Billboard’s On the Radar Latin column in October 2022 as a musician, has now opened his own art exhibition in Venice, Italy. Titled The Circle of Love, the show began on May 6 at the Kokonton Gallery, timed to the preview of the 61st Venice Art Biennale.

Galán described the work as an exploration of time, transformation and endurance. He said he used cement, Japanese paper and 24k gold to create pieces that feel “both fragile and eternal at the same time,” drawing from Venice itself. “For me, this exhibition represents something deeply personal: the moment when music, painting, and life finally began to speak the same language,” he told Billboard Español.

The exhibition remains open until May 24.

Coca-Cola Music Hall continues its phone-free rollout

In Puerto Rico, Coca-Cola Music Hall has become the first venue on the island to use a phone-free system, first introduced during comedian Marcello Hernández’s performance last month. The setup, which keeps cell phones out of the main hall, was used again on Friday, May 8, for actor and comedian Chris Tucker’s show.

According to general manager Arleene Pérez, the goal is to let audiences focus on the stage and keep the material limited to ticket buyers. Guests are asked to place phones and smart devices in locked pouches at entry and can access them only in designated areas.

Pérez said the system ran without problems during Hernández’s show. “The audience quickly adapted to the system, and we had no issues,” she said in a press release. She added that the turnaround time for attendees to receive their phones was 16 minutes on the first night and 13 minutes on the second.