People of San Miguel: The Legacy Of A Festival

By Natalie Taylor

Stephanie Hough Lanier grew up in Philadelphia. She began with a Catholic school education, but in the sixth grade, she convinced her mother to let her go her to a school run by Jewish mothers, with a more open education she loved. From a young age, Stephanie’s passion was ballet, and she got a scholarship to Elmira College in New York, dreaming of a dance career. But a ballet teacher gave her a reality check: “Have you ever seen a Black prima ballerina?” she asked, and gave a response to her own query, “…and you never will.”  Stephanie took it to heart and switched to a degree in business administration.

While studying in D.C, she lived near the Japanese embassy and came to appreciate Japanese art and culture. She switched her studies at the Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science, immersing herself in the fiber science lab. However, because she was unable to support herself and go to college, she made a major decision: she joined the army for a commitment of six years.

This changed everything; her loans were paid off, she had a steady income, and saved money. Initially, she had a desk job as a “supply sergeant,” a buyer for the army. Always looking for better opportunities and a higher salary, she joined “special forces,” which included a stint as a paratrooper. Stephanie’s years of service in the army were fruitful—she was able to get her master’s degree and saved enough money to buy a house. She married her high school sweetheart and settled in LA, where she worked for a company that made ticker tapes. When the company was taken over, she sought opportunities elsewhere, taking tech classes and doing volunteer work. Through the Black Women’s Network’s community projects, she saw firsthand the unpleasant backlash that Japanese immigrants suffered simply because they worked hard and succeeded. Harking back to her appreciation of Japanese culture, and newly divorced, she decided to go to Japan. She met many influential Japanese women there who changed her worldview.

But someone else came across her path who changed her life. Rodrigo Antonio Treviño Lozano, a businessman from Monterrey, México, was in Japan on a mission to open the Asian market. The two bonded, and six months later, Stephanie arrived in México for her first visit and met Rodrigo’s parents. He told them he was bringing someone he met in Japan, and they were expecting a Japanese girl. When he showed up with a Black woman, there was some awkwardness. But they navigated that initial glitch and were married in 1995. Stephanie came to San Miguel in 1999 for a visit, and was so impressed she wanted to settle here.

Rodrigo still had his business in Monterrey, so he commuted back and forth at first, but in 2000, they bought a house in San Miguel de Allende and became permanent residents. In San Miguel, Stephanie volunteered for various non-profit organizations, even working at the Tesoros Bookstore. She became involved with Jóvenes Adelante and eventually served as president from 2011 to 2013.

Although Rodrigo had a doctorate in chemical engineering, his passion was always music. He and Stephanie joined all the musical organizations in town, including Pro-Musica. But his dream was to create a Baroque music festival in San Miguel.

They teamed up with Henry Kirby in Houston and together promoted the first San Miguel Baroque Music Festival in 2008. It was extremely well received and drew many outstanding international musicians, with performances in other major towns, including México City. The Houston connection was essential for selling full packages in advance, and it was so successful that 80% of tickets were sold before the festival even started. Unfortunate circumstances led to the closing in 2012. Their best event was in 2011, when the city was filled with music everywhere. It was not just mariachi music; it was the best of the best music possible, and it flooded San Miguel.

Rodrigo was so passionate about Baroque music that he continued with musical weekends until the COVID-19 lockdown finally put a stop to these wonderful musical events. In 2024, Rodrigo passed away, leaving Stephanie to carry the torch of the musical festival they had founded. On February 26, 2026, Stephanie hosted a Baroque Recital with the internationally acclaimed pianist Michael Tsilka, a presentation of a documentary about the festival, and the audience loved it. It was a fitting memorial for Rodrigo.

Natalie Taylor is a bilingual published writer, editor, journalist, translator and a regular columnist at Atención News

www.natalietaylor.org