| Steve Flores |
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Friends, We have sad news to report. Our dear friend, Steve Flores, passed away last night, Monday, October 19th, 2009. Thankfully, he was at home with his family, where he wanted to be. Steve was the Founder and President of the Northern New Mexico Hispano Coalition. He was a founding and very active member of the San Miguel County Detention Center Citizen Advisory Committee. Steve's advocacy work on behalf of those unjustly treated by the system was invaluable. There's so much more -- his initiative around the volunteer fire department in his neighborhood, his leadership around the police oversight commission and Tasers, his involvement with Land Grant and Acequia work, his tireless lobbying of our legislators for years on behalf of our community (particularly those most disenfranchised), his important contributions as a member of the Rio Gallinas School Governing Council (he really cared about the students), his grave concerns about the Oil & Gas Industry's potential to exploit La Gente and the land and culture, his faithful commitment to the Las Vegas Peace & Justice Center from day one, his clear and vocal support for the local hospital workers and their union efforts, and his determination to get as far as he could in bringing a Reintegration Center to our region (to provide chemical dependency treatment, detox, and workforce training and development to our community) -- the list is much longer than this. We are so grateful for his work. (And he did all of this despite a regime of dialysis 5-6 times per day for many years.) Steve was an integral part of so many aspects of this community. And he did it all as a volunteer, never getting paid for any of his work. He simply served his community because he cared. He will be sorely missed. For me personally, I learned so much from him about community organizing "Steve-style." It didn't matter that I was an Anglo, or an "outsider." I was fully embraced, and we worked together on so many projects. Thanks to Steve, so much has been accomplished. But also, so much remains to be completed. We will keep Steve's memory alive by continuing on with the projects he would like to see completed. Steve was an activist to the core. It was in his bones. We need to keep his advocacy energy alive in our community. Our sympathies go out to Steve's wife, Sally Flores, and their amazing children, Sarah and Estevan and Sebastian. They will be sure to keep Steve's legacy alive. They are incredible activists in their own right, thanks to how Steve and Sally raised them. Their mailing address is: 361 Mineral Hill Route Las Vegas, NEW MEXICO 87701 (505) 425-3930 Thanks. pat |