Fuerza Regida Awarded Key to City of San Bernardino, Announces Sports, Music and Performing Arts Center
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San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran (right) accompanies Fuerza Regida frontman Jesús Ortiz Paz (center) and his bandmates at the California Theatre of the Performing Arts Sept. 17. Photo by Christopher Salazar.
A new youth community center is coming to San Bernardino. Fuerza Regida, an internationally recognized group with local roots, announced their plans Sept. 17 as over 1,500 San Bernardino students filled the California Theatre of the Performing Arts.
Following an opening performance from local band Herencia de Hernandez, San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran took the stage to award Fuerza Regida the Key to the City, recognizing their commitment to the region, its children, teens and their future.
“Today’s celebration is about San Bernardino talent, San Bernardino creativity, and what can happen when young people dream big,” Tran said amid cheering middle- and high-schoolers. “Today we are celebrating one of those San Bernardino stories.”
Fuerza Regida began in San Bernardino in 2015, playing for locals at backyard parties across the Inland Empire. Now they’re selling out the nation’s largest venues, including Hollywood Bowl and Madison Square Garden. In July, they made history as the first regional Mexican band to sell out Dodger’s Stadium.
“We’re excited to announce … the beginning of a youth center,” said Jesús Ortiz Paz, also known as “JOP,” frontman of the award-winning regional Mexican band. He emphasized the activities he wants the center to support, including boxing, the arts, medicine and engineering.
“Everything is possible,” JOP told the crowd to loud applause, “if you have a dream, follow it.“
JOP runs the record label Street Mob Records, where he continues to develop and support “emerging música mexicana talent.” The Band also supports immigrant communities in Southern California through their Fuerza Music Foundation, which offers financial assistance and emergency shelter, scholarships, cultural programing, donations and meal giveaways.
“The Key to the City is a very unique recognition to say that you have given back, or you are a role model,” Tran told Inland Empire Community News.
She said the city and Fuerza Regida are working together to support young people.
“This is a collaboration … to make sure these kids have a resource, have a place to go to to thrive,” Tran said.
She explained that they are only in the beginning stages of the project and that they will soon begin discussions about the center’s funding and location. The center does not yet have a name.
For local leaders, the band’s rise offers a homegrown example of success.
“I’m just very, very proud of the city of San Bernardino, for recognizing our local heroes,” said Joe Baca Jr., San Bernardino County 5th district supervisor.
Expanding on that local pride, Baca offered advice for young people discovering themselves, their talents and ambitions.
“We all have different things that we’re good at,” Baca said. “Find what makes you excited and what you’re passionate about, and just follow it and stick with it,” adding that the process will be difficult at times “but you just got to keep grinding.”
The sentiment that young people in San Bernardino should have both the opportunity and the resources to pursue what excites them was at the center of the city’s message and partnership with Fuerza Regida.
“Your future is going to be bright because of leadership, like myself and folks like Fuerza Regida — a world-renowned band who wants to give back to the city,” Tran said, “and we’re working together.”
