Hello from Wonder Media Network. I'm Jenny Kaplan and this is Womanica. This month we're talking about women of sound. These women dominated the airwaves, innovating, documenting, and creating the audio landscape we live in today. Today we're talking about a woman who helped develop a burgeoning Latin music scene through her historic music store. Let's talk about Victoria Hernandez. Victoria Hernandez was born in eighteen ninety seven in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. Victoria and her younger brothers, Raphael and Jesus came from humble beginnings. Their parents were Afro Puerto Rican tobacco workers. While their parents worked, their grandmother raised them with a strong focus on music. As a result, Victoria was a skilled violinist, cellist, and pianist. In nineteen nineteen, the Hernandez family became part of an early wave of Puerto Ricans who migrated to New York After World War One. Victoria found work teaching embroidery and working as a seamstress. By nineteen twenty seven, she'd squirreled away enough money to buy a small storefront in East Harlem. She opened Alma Senez Hernandez, also known as the Hernandez Music Store, which very well may have been the first Puerto Rican owned music store in New York City. At the store, Victoria sold musical instruments, records, and offered music lessons. Some of her students went on to become internationally known Latin music stars. The store supported the family financially, and it gave her brother, Rafael, time to focus on his craft. He used the back of the store to write and play music. Rafael would go on to become one of the most renowned Latin American composers. Victoria took advantage of the store's success and started one of the first Puerto Rican record labels, Hispanno. Hispagno produced records for many Puerto Ricans, including Raphael's hit song Quura Flamma. The label did well, but the Great Depression ended its success after just a few years. Nevertheless, Victoria soon moved to a bigger store just a few doors down from their original location. Despite being a professionally trained musician herself, she chose to invest her time and energy into the business aspect of the music industry. Her music store was a hub for local artists and musicians. Victoria helped brok her deals between Puerto Rican musicians and record labels. She helped connect musicians with groups needing instrumentalists and record companies in need of session players. As a result, the community called her La Madrina, or the Godmother. She was especially influential in the success of Raphael's music group, Quarteto Victoria, named in her honor. She was the group's manager. Victoria booked gigs, organized tours, and helped with the production and marketing of the music. She was even responsible for the group's distinctive look. Victoria made her brother and his group wear suits and ties, which earned the group the nickname a Quarteto rico or the rich quartet. Victoria was rewarded for her work through a cut of the musician's salaries. Not all musicians appreciated this, and they were vocal about their dissatisfaction. In November of nineteen thirty nine, Victoria and Raphael sold Hernande's music store to a Puerto Rican record producer. Two years later, Victoria opened another music store, this time in the Bronx. At that point in time, the South Bronx had the largest Puerto Rican community in the city. Victoria's new store, Casai Hernandez, still sold records and instruments, but now it also sold dresses. Victoria resumed giving music lessons to up and cooming musicians. The store remained central to the Latin American community and was a place where people could go to hear music from the countries they left behind. In nineteen sixty five, Raphael passed away. Victoria had no interest in running the store without her brother. Four years later, she sold it to the Amadeo family, who renamed it Casa Amadeo. It's still around today. It's the oldest Latin music store in New York City and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Later in life, Victoria returned to Puerto Rico, where she died in nineteen ninety eight. She's buried with her brother in the old San Juan Cemetery. All month, we're talking about Women of Sound. For more information, find us on Facebook and Instagram at Wamanica Podcast special thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister and co creator. Talk to you tomorrow.

Hello from Wonder Media Network. I'm Jenny Kaplan and this is Womanica. This month we're talking about women of sound. These women dominated the airwaves, innovating, documenting, and creating the audio landscape we live in today. Today we're talking about a woman who helped develop a burgeoning Latin music scene through her historic music store. Let's talk about Victoria Hernandez. Victoria Hernandez was born in eighteen ninety seven in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. Victoria and her younger brothers, Raphael and Jesus came from humble beginnings. Their parents were Afro Puerto Rican tobacco workers. While their parents worked, their grandmother raised them with a strong focus on music. As a result, Victoria was a skilled violinist, cellist, and pianist. In nineteen nineteen, the Hernandez family became part of an early wave of Puerto Ricans who migrated to New York After World War One. Victoria found work teaching embroidery and working as a seamstress. By nineteen twenty seven, she'd squirreled away enough money to buy a small storefront in East Harlem. She opened Alma Senez Hernandez, also known as the Hernandez Music Store, which very well may have been the first Puerto Rican owned music store in New York City. At the store, Victoria sold musical instruments, records, and offered music lessons. Some of her students went on to become internationally known Latin music stars. The store supported the family financially, and it gave her brother, Rafael, time to focus on his craft. He used the back of the store to write and play music. Rafael would go on to become one of the most renowned Latin American composers. Victoria took advantage of the store's success and started one of the first Puerto Rican record labels, Hispanno. Hispagno produced records for many Puerto Ricans, including Raphael's hit song Quura Flamma. The label did well, but the Great Depression ended its success after just a few years. Nevertheless, Victoria soon moved to a bigger store just a few doors down from their original location. Despite being a professionally trained musician herself, she chose to invest her time and energy into the business aspect of the music industry. Her music store was a hub for local artists and musicians. Victoria helped brok her deals between Puerto Rican musicians and record labels. She helped connect musicians with groups needing instrumentalists and record companies in need of session players. As a result, the community called her La Madrina, or the Godmother. She was especially influential in the success of Raphael's music group, Quarteto Victoria, named in her honor. She was the group's manager. Victoria booked gigs, organized tours, and helped with the production and marketing of the music. She was even responsible for the group's distinctive look. Victoria made her brother and his group wear suits and ties, which earned the group the nickname a Quarteto rico or the rich quartet. Victoria was rewarded for her work through a cut of the musician's salaries. Not all musicians appreciated this, and they were vocal about their dissatisfaction. In November of nineteen thirty nine, Victoria and Raphael sold Hernande's music store to a Puerto Rican record producer. Two years later, Victoria opened another music store, this time in the Bronx. At that point in time, the South Bronx had the largest Puerto Rican community in the city. Victoria's new store, Casai Hernandez, still sold records and instruments, but now it also sold dresses. Victoria resumed giving music lessons to up and cooming musicians. The store remained central to the Latin American community and was a place where people could go to hear music from the countries they left behind. In nineteen sixty five, Raphael passed away. Victoria had no interest in running the store without her brother. Four years later, she sold it to the Amadeo family, who renamed it Casa Amadeo. It's still around today. It's the oldest Latin music store in New York City and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Later in life, Victoria returned to Puerto Rico, where she died in nineteen ninety eight. She's buried with her brother in the old San Juan Cemetery. All month, we're talking about Women of Sound. For more information, find us on Facebook and Instagram at Wamanica Podcast special thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister and co creator. Talk to you tomorrow.