René y Familia

Led by songwriter and multi-instrumentalist René Peña-Govea, René y Familia is the latest gift from three generations of the iconic San Francisco musical clan, La Familia Peña-Govea, which includes René’s father Miguel Govea, mother Susan Peña, sister Cecilia Peña-Govea (aka La Doña), and son Diego Martinez-Govea. When the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered schools, René and Diego composed twenty original bilingual children’s songs for SF Loves Learning, addressing themes of cultural pride, socio-emotional awareness, and solidarity. These songs later formed the basis of their album Somos Diferentes along with two music videos, “Somos Diferentes” and “A Tomar el Bus.” Drawing from Latin folk traditions like rancheras, cumbias, and boleros, René y Familia turns every gathering into a fiesta while also speaking to the struggles and joys facing BIPOC children and families.