Cecilia Cassandra Peña-Govea — better known as La Doña — is the voice of a Latinx working-class movement that is unapologetically queer, brown and feminist. Born and raised in the Mission District, the barrio star and singer-songwriter blends her care for culture and community with a bold, socially conscious sound.
On December 8, La Doña headlined Encuentro Del Canto Popular, a music festival at The Chapel (777 Valencia St.) hosted by Acción Latina, the nonprofit publisher of El Tecolote.
“It’s so important for us to remember what it means to come together,” La Doña told El Tecolote. “To use culture and music, and all of the beautiful things that we share to promote social change and community — because right now it’s just not a party.”
An album with a purpose
La Doña’s signature style fuses traditional Mexican music like cumbia, bolero, and mariachi with reggaeton, hip-hop, and jazz. Known for her liberating and sexually charged lyrics, her work centers a Brown Skin Latinx perspective critics have dubbed “Femmetón.”
Her debut album, Los Altos De La Soledad, released in September, transforms her “sex with a smile” image into a politically charged collection of songs addressing today’s most pressing issues.
Tracks like “Corrido Palestina,” about the genocide in Gaza, and “El Regreso,” a lament of a Guatemalan immigrant longing to return home, showcase her growing maturity and ambition as an artist. Other highlights include “Corrales,” tackling police brutality, and the romantic bolero “Esta Noche Corazón,” a duet with Dominican artist Yasser Tejada.
“It’s really important for us in these moments, as artists, to not just make music that’s timeless,” said La Doña. “But to write songs that can be listened to 100 years from now and still feel relevant, songs that really capture a moment in time.”
A rising star — interrupted
La Doña’s rise hasn’t been easy. In 2020, she was poised to break through with her first EP, Algo Nuevo, and a national tour. But the pandemic brought her momentum to a halt, leaving her without distribution for her independently produced music and hustling to find gigs.
Two years later, La Doña reclaimed her momentum, performing at South by Southwest, Outside Lands, and Stern Grove, and headlining The Fillmore. Even Barack Obama added her to his playlist.
“Things are going well,” says Cecilia about her current artistic situation. “I’m super busy and all over the place right now, but it’s a good problem to have.”
An enduring legacy of music and activism
The youngest daughter of the Peña-Govea musical family, Cecilia grew up surrounded by music. Her father Miguel led the Mission District band Los Compas, her mother Susan balanced civil rights work with playing guitar, and her sister René is a master of the accordion.
Cecilia got the bug early, choosing trumpet and singing as her preferred modes of making music. Musical training at the Community Music Center and in-school programs prepared her for a career in music, but it was her tenacity and “Si Se Puede” spirit that made her La Doña.
How did she land on that stage name? “The short answer is because I’m bossy,” Cecilia said, laughing. “I have the personality of a mom and a person who is going to cook for you, but ‘can you please clean your stuff up’? That’s how it started, and one of my home girls started calling me La Doña. When I was looking for an artist’s name I was like, OK, let’s try it out and it stuck.”
When not performing, Cecilia teaches mariachi through SF Unified School District and SFJAZZ. She also writes grants and secures fellowships to fund her projects while maintaining her independence. “I’m tapping into resources to support art that would otherwise be censored,” she said.
Pushing a movement forward
Immortalized in a mural at 26th and Mission, La Doña is one of the Mission’s crown jewels — a symbol of resilience and cultural pride. With Los Altos De La Soledad, she continues to amplify the voices of immigrant workers and marginalized communities.
For La Doña, music is more than a performance — it’s a movement. “Right now, it’s just not a party,” she says. “It’s about promoting social change and building community.”
The 43rd Encuentro del Canto Popular concert was presented by El Tecolote’s nonprofit publisher Acción Latina at The Chapel (777 Valencia St) in San Francisco on Sunday, Dec. 8th. Support cultural arts and community media by donating today.