Little Joe Launches Scholarship Foundation to Support Future Generations

Tejano music legend Little Joe Hernández is turning his lifelong commitment to community and education into a lasting legacy with the launch of the Little Joe & Cris Hernandez Legacy Scholarship Foundation, a new initiative dedicated to helping students pursue higher education and career dreams.

The five-time Grammy Award-winning artist announced the foundation in a heartfelt social media video alongside Lupita Gutierrez, inviting fans to support the cause at a special fundraising event on August 1 at the historic Woodlawn Theatre in San Antonio.

“For decades, Little Joe has been generous in supporting scholarship foundations all over the nation,” Gutierrez said in the announcement video. “But this time, after so many decades, he’s starting his own foundation.”

The foundation, officially named the Little Joe & Cris Hernandez Legacy Scholarship Foundation, was created to ensure financial hardship never prevents students from continuing their education. Inspired by Little Joe’s groundbreaking musical journey and the enduring memory of his late wife, Criselida “Cris” Cantu Hernandez, the organization will award scholarships to students pursuing careers in the arts, medical, legal, and education fields.

According to its mission statement, the foundation exists “to ensure that money is never the reason a student stops learning.” It also aims to celebrate and preserve Tejano heritage while empowering future generations to “write their own legacy.”

During the video announcement, Gutierrez revealed plans for a “jam-packed show” featuring Little Joe and special guests to raise money for the scholarship fund.

“No se les olvide,” Little Joe added. “And if you’ll join us, it’s for a great cause. We’re raising funds to send kids to school. Can you beat that? Let’s all pitch in and help.”

Known worldwide as the “King of the Brown Sound,” Little Joe has spent more than six decades shaping the sound of Tejano music. Born in Temple, Texas, he co-founded Little Joe and the Latinaires in 1959, which later evolved into the legendary Little Joe y La Familia. His genre-defying blend of Tejano, conjunto, norteño, country, and R&B helped break cultural barriers and inspired generations of Latino musicians.

Over the course of his celebrated career, Little Joe has released more than 70 albums, earned multiple Grammy and Latin Grammy Awards, and received the prestigious National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts in 2015. Beyond music, he has also been recognized for his activism and advocacy alongside the United Farm Workers movement.

The scholarship foundation also honors the remarkable life and contributions of Cris Hernandez, affectionately known as the “First Lady of La Familia.” Cris played an instrumental role in building the family’s musical empire, serving as president of Leona Records, co-founder of DeLeon Publishing, and an early driving force behind Little Joe y La Familia. She also designed the band’s stage outfits while helping raise the couple’s four children: Christie, Ivan, Isaac, and Demetrias.

Cris passed away peacefully at her home in Temple, Texas, on October 10, 2024, at the age of 86 after sharing 62 years of marriage with Little Joe.

Continuing the family’s tradition of hands-on leadership, Christie Hernandez — daughter of Little Joe and Cris — will serve as executive director of the scholarship foundation. Already serving as business manager and road manager for Little Joe y La Familia, Christie continues the work her parents began decades ago.

The August 1 fundraiser at Woodlawn Theatre is expected to bring together fans, friends, and fellow musicians in celebration of Little Joe’s musical legacy and his ongoing mission to uplift the next generation through education.

Fans are encouraged to follow the foundation and connect through social media for event updates and additional information.

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