{{Short description|Entrepreneur and former mayor of Healdsburg}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Use American English|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox person | name = Abel de Luna | image = | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1946|07|27|df=y}} | birth_place = Colonia Modelo, Zacatecas, Mexico | spouse = {{ubl|{{marriage|Emilia Escareño Ávila|1969|1990|reason=}}|{{marriage|Arelia García Viramontes|1994}}}} | children = 5 | occupation = {{cslist|Entrepreneur|music producer|politician}} | education = | alma_mater = Colegio Comercial Pérez<br/>(Cd. Juárez, Chihuahua) | module = {{Infobox officeholder | embed = yes | office1 = Mayor of Healdsburg, California | term_start1 = 1978 | term_end1 = 1980 | office2 = Healdsburg City Council Member | term_start2 = 1976 | term_end2 = 1978 }} }} '''Abel de Luna''' (born July 27, 1946, in Colonia Modelo, Zacatecas, Mexico) is a Mexican-American entrepreneur, music executive, and former politician. He served as the first Latino mayor of Healdsburg, California.<ref name="norcalpublicmedia.org">{{Cite web |url=https://www.norcalpublicmedia.org/2025052098186/news-feed/healdsburg-renames-community-center-after-citys-first-latino-mayor-abel-de-luna |title=Healdsburg Renames Community Center After City's First Latino Mayor Abel De Luna |access-date=2025-07-14 |website=NorCal Public Media |date=2025-05-20 |language=en}}</ref> He is also the founder of Luna Music and Moon Broadcasting, and continues to promote regional Mexican music across the United States.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |url=https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/healdsburg-latino-mayor/ |title=Healdsburg's First Latino Mayor Reflects on His Legacy |access-date=2025-07-14 |website=The Press Democrat |date=18 May 2025 |language=en |url-access=subscription }}</ref>
== Career ==
=== Politics === In 1976, de Luna was elected to the Healdsburg City Council, and then was appointed mayor in 1978, becoming the first Latino and youngest person to hold the position in the city's history.<ref>{{Cite web |author=Kallen, Christian |url=https://www.healdsburgtribune.com/healdsburg-comes-full-circle-for-abel-de-luna/ |title=Healdsburg Comes Full Circle for Abel De Luna |access-date=2025-07-14 |website=Healdsburg Tribune |date=15 May 2025 |language=en}}</ref> During his tenure (1978–1980), he championed infrastructure projects including a new wastewater system, public swimming pool, police training programs, and increased access to Spanish-language television for the community.<ref name=":0"/><ref name="dup-0-53" />
In 2025, the City of Healdsburg officially renamed its Community Center the “Abel de Luna Community Center” in recognition of his civic contributions.<ref name="norcalpublicmedia.org"/><ref>{{Cite web |author=Kallen, Christian |url=https://www.healdsburgtribune.com/abel-de-luna-a-dream-i-didnt-think-i-would-have/ |title=Abel De Luna: ‘A dream I didn’t think I would have’ |access-date=2026-01-11 |website=Healdsburg Tribune |date=21 May 2025 |language=en}}</ref>
=== Business === ==== Music industry ==== Abel de Luna is the co-founder and treasurer<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mesa Directiva |date=23 July 2024 |url=https://iconosmagazine.net/project/mesa-directiva/ |access-date=2025-09-11 |website=ICONOS MAGAZINE |lang=es }}</ref> of Promotores Unidos USA, an organization that promotes regional Mexican music.<ref name="dup-0-53" /> In 2025, ''Billboard'' cited de Luna's long-time role in the U.S. regional Mexican concert market in a business report on how immigration crackdowns have affected Latin music. The piece recalls a 2007 interview where De Luna, then a California-based member of Promotores Unidos, estimated that tightened enforcement accounted for a "20%–25%" drop in his concert promotion business.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Robinson |first=Kristin |title=How U.S. Immigration Crackdowns Are Costing the Latin Music Industry Millions |url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/trump-immigration-policies-cost-latin-music-industry/ |website=Billboard |date=September 25, 2025 |language=en |access-date=2025-10-01}}</ref> de Luna also founded the record label Luna Music, an independent label he established to promote regional Mexican artists; and Moon Broadcasting, a radio network broadcasting regional Mexican music, which currently includes the formats La Máquina Musical and La Musikera.<ref name="dup-0-53" />
Throughout his career, de Luna has worked with artists such as Arkangel R15,<ref name="dup-0-53">{{Cite web|url=https://iconosmagazine.net/project/abel-de-luna/ |title=A PIONEER OF LATINO LEADERSHIP AND MEXICAN MUSIC |access-date=2025-03-10 |author=Oros, Rosy |date=2025-02-15 |website=Iconos Magazine |language=es}}</ref> among others. He owns two Spanish language radio stations, KRRS and KZNB.<ref name=":0" />
==== Other interests ==== de Luna founded and operated La Luna Market, a chain of Latino-oriented supermarkets in Napa and Sonoma counties, which became a community hub for immigrant families in Northern California.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.telemundoareadelabahia.com/noticias/local/healdsburg-luna-market-historia/2423392/ |title=The story behind Luna Market, a refuge for the Bay Area immigrant community |access-date=2025-07-14 |last=Niño |first=Pilar |date=2024-10-18 |website=Telemundo Área de la Bahía 48 |language=es}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:de Luna, Abel}} Category:1946 births Category:20th-century American musicians Category:20th-century American politicians Category:20th-century Mexican musicians Category:20th-century Mexican politicians Category:21st-century American musicians Category:21st-century American politicians Category:21st-century Mexican musicians Category:21st-century Mexican politicians Category:Living people Category:People from Zacatecas Category:Healdsburg, California