Protest Salinas Renters, the volunteer-led organization that supports tenant protect ordinances in Salinas including a 2.75-percent rent stabilization cap and successfully launched a referendum last year now has its eyes on the November election season, when the issues will go to voters.
In March they launched their kickoff campaign and on Friday, May 1—which is also International Workers Day—they host a fundraiser concert with Grammy and Latin Grammy Award-winning Melinda Salcido. Salcido is a bilingual Mexican regional music singer and guitarist, performs a repertoire that includes a fusion of Latin rhythms, mariachi and pop.
Salcido was born in Fresno and built her musical career in Los Angeles, where she lived for 20 years before returning to her hometown, where she is now the music director and executive director for SAM Academy, a nonprofit in Sanger that provides art, music and science programming for kids.
She has two Grammy Awards and one Latin Grammy to her name. (Her Grammy wins were in 2009 and 2014 as a recording artist with Mariachi Divas in the category of Best Regional Mexican Music including Tejano. She clinched the Latin Grammy for recording on Marco Antonio Solis' 2003 album Tu Amor o tu Desprecio.
Salcido is also a musical educator and has taught young people everything from ballet folklórico to mariachi.
The concert takes place on Friday, May 1 from 6-9pm at United Farm Workers Hall, 118 E. Gabilan St., Salinas. Suggested donation per person is $50-$99, including dinner. (Donations go to Protect Salinas Renters.) bit.ly/MayFundraiserPSR2026.