I am sure most of you know what the Hollywood Walk of Fame is, but for those who don't, it is s series of five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California. While the Hollywood Walk of Fame is best known for the stars featuring the names of actors, there are also stars for directors, producers, musicians, and others involved in the entertainment industry. The stars are awarded for achievements in the entertainment industry in one of six categories: Motion Pictures, Television, Radio, Recording, Live Theatre/Performance, and Sports Entertainment. Vanessa worked in three of those categories: Motion Pictures, Television, and Live Theatre/Performance.
Of course, there are other criteria that must be fulfilled for someone to get a star along the Hollywood Walk of Fame. One is professional achievement. I think there can be no doubt that Vanessa Marquez fulfilled this. Indeed, she was a pioneering Chicana actress. She was one of the stars of Stand and Deliver (1988), in which she played high school student Ana Delgado. At the time of the release of Stand and Deliver, most Chicanas on screen were often highly sexualized and often cholas. Often they were played by actresses who weren't even of Mexican American descent. As a quiet, studious, and intelligent girl, Ana was a sharp contrast to these earlier stereotypes. At the time Vanessa was on ER she was one of the few Latinas in a recurring role on television. She also appeared in the cult films Twenty Bucks (1993) and Blood In Blood Out (1993), as well as the TV shows Wiseguy and Culture Clash.
Another criterion necessary to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is longevity. That is, one has to have worked in the entertainment industry for at least five years. Vanessa's film and television career lasted 13 years, from Stand and Deliver in 1988 to the TV movie Fire & Ice in 2001. Her last stage credit was Anna in the Topics in 2010. In the case of deceased actors there is a waiting period of two years. It has been five years since Vanessa's death.
Finally, to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame one must have made contributions to the community. She worked with the United Farm Workers, and knew both Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta. On December 7 1989 Vanessa took part in a rally and then a march protesting the exposure of farmers to pesticides used on grapes alongside Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, and Martin Sheen. She also did work on behalf of Amnesty International. When Jamie Escalante, the teacher upon whose life Stand and Deliver was based, developed cancer, Vanessa was relentless in helping raise money to help pay for his medical bills. Later in life she volunteered at the Pasadena Humane Society's animal shelter. As if her contributions to film and television were not enough, Vanessa made a number of contributions to her community.
While the criteria to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame does not included how beloved an actor is, Vanessa Marquez was very much a beloved actress. Since her death I have encountered some of her fans, who not only cite her performances in Stand and Deliver and ER, but also in such projects as the TV show Culture Clash and the movies Twenty Bucks and Blood In Blood Out. A petition launched by her Stand and Deliver co-star Lydia Nicole to include Vanessa Marquez in the SAG Awards and Academy Awards on-air In Memoriam segments reached 12,000 signatures. A large number of people loved Vanessa. For them she was not just another actress. She was a star.
Vanessa Marquez certainly meets all of the criteria in order to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The one hurdle to Vanessa getting a star on the Walk of Fame is that a star ceremony costs $75,000, a price that is subject to change (you have to know it won't go down). Most of that money goes to creating and installing the star, as well as maintaining the Walk of Fame itself. $75,000 is a lot of money, but I have a feeling it could be raised with a good deal of hard work. If Vanessa has as many fans as I think she does, I am sure many people would donate money towards getting her a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Vanessa Marquez was an extremely talented actress who cared for her fellow human beings. She gave a number of remarkable performances, many of which were cited in the reviews of the movies and stage plays in which she appeared. As one of the few well-known Chicana actresses in Hollywood in the Nineties, she was certainly a pioneer. While I know many will say I am biased, I think Vanessa more than deserves a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
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