Veronica Robles

Primarily known as a Mariachi singer, musician, and Latin American folkloric dancer and choreographer, Veronica Robles has transcended her trade to become a cultural icon for Latinos in Boston. Her remarkable utilization of the power of the arts and culture has been instrumental in uniting the community and fostering awareness of the importance of diversity.

Robles started her mariachi career when she was 14 years old and learned this respected tradition from elder mariachis in Mexico City. She plays the Vihuela, a traditional 5-string mariachi instrument. She learned old-time songs from her grandmother Mama Coco and her mother Annie during their gatherings in the kitchen to cook and sing. Now, she is dedicated to passing on this tradition to all musicians, children, and youth interested in learning, embracing, celebrating, and promoting it in New England.

In 2018, Robles founded Boston’s first all-female mariachi band. The mission of this group is to deliver a message of peace and unity in all their performances and public presentations. Robles and her band have toured the New England region and performed at countless festivals and important venues, and they have received excellent media coverage by mainstream media.  

In 2019, Robles released a new album entitled Cuando Sale la Luna, recorded with her all-female mariachi band and produced by Willy Lopez. The album includes nine traditional songs from Mexico and one new song written by Willy Lopez.

As the co-founder and director of the Veronica Robles Cultural Center (VROCC), Robles has been at the forefront of supporting community action and economic growth in East Boston. The center offers Latin American arts and culture programming, empowering youth through employment opportunities and education about their roots and diverse cultures.

Robles is a versatile professional with a diverse background in arts administration, marketing, community outreach, and multimedia production, evidenced by her extensive experience in providing culturally responsive enrichment programming for schools and corporations and producing small and large-scale events. As a TV host and producer, she has worked with TV Azteca in Mexico, Telemundo Boston, WGBH and La Mega Boston, among others. 

Beyond her professional achievements, Robles is a woman of resilience and inspiration, having triumphed over cancer and embraced life with joy, passion, and love. Her work is a poignant tribute to the memory of her daughter Kithzia Lopez Robles, a testament to her enduring strength and conviction.

Robles's contributions have garnered national recognition, with her inclusion in the top 10 most influential Latinos nationwide by Univision Network in the category “MiUnivisionario”, and receipt of the 2021 Changemaker Award from the Institute for Nonprofit Practice. She has also been honored with the prestigious Ohtli Award from the Government of Mexico, recognizing her significant dedication to paving the way for younger generations of Mexicans and Mexican Americans.

Robles is a Neighborhood Salon Luminary at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and an artist in the Celebrity Series of Boston Neighborhood Arts program. Her impact has been further extended through her popular television and radio shows and her advocacy and leadership roles in various organizations, including the East Boston Chamber of Commerce and Boston Harbor Now.

Robles's outstanding contributions as a cultural leader have been celebrated through numerous awards, such as Person of the Year for East Boston by East Boston Times and for Saugus by Essex Media, the Community Hero Award by ABCD, and being named “Extraordinary Woman In Cultural Enrichment” by the Governor of Rhode Island. She currently serves on the Boston Harbor Now and Boston Unity Cup board.