by Donna Smith
Advisory Board Chair

Raúl Grijalva, Presente!

Arizona’s 7th Congressional District U.S. Representative Raúl Grijalva died last Thursday, and one of the lights shining for justice went dark for all of us in PDA. He was with us from our earliest days helping guide us through PDA’s early years when survival of any progressive group was anything but certain. We are devastated by this loss, and our nation is left without his steady, courageous voice during these difficult times.
We will call him Raúl here because that is what he wanted his PDA friends to call him, yet we know he wore the title of Representative to the United States House of Representatives with more dignity and honor than any other leader we knew. Elected first in 2002, Raúl represented all people intentionally. While, of course, he fought for his district and the needs of his constituents, Raúl took on the larger issues and more protracted fights that touched this nation and threatened freedom and justice for us all.

Raúl understood the issues facing his constituents because he was so like them and so determined to bring trust and honor to people who had been overlooked and marginalized. He lived with and through personal struggles that only served to deepen his commitment to us all. Certainly, fault may be found in any review of a well-lived life, yet glory rests there too. As this brave and persistent man is laid to rest, PDA will always remember his steadfast support and his passion for helping us all live free of worry and free of want.

We urge you to read the statement his staff released that so brilliantly documented his legislative work and his accomplishments. We are sure the depth and breadth of that work will impress you. What is less known about Raúl is his generosity in helping people beat the odds when working to advance justice and peace. PDA benefited greatly from his support early on, and he was great friends with our founder, Tim Carpenter. Two peas in a pod, Tim and Raúl shuffled down the corridors of power together and found ways to be heard and ways to make progress on the issues we consider critical.

While cancer may have taken this brave and dedicated man from us, PDA would not have survived its earliest years without his support and that of our other Congressional allies. Please reflect on and remember the sacrifices made for us all by Raúl Grijalva. Then ask yourself (as we all are) if you are leading a life working for progressive change with steadiness and without faltering in the face of opposing forces. That was the legacy Raúl left PDA.

Rest in well-deserved peace and power, Raúl.