Ruben Villarreal Presente!

1955-2009

By Antonio Gonzalez

Longtime community organizer Ruben Villarreal passed away last week in Monterrey, Mexico. He is survived by two daughters Saira and Iliana and a son Ruben Jr. 

 

I came to know Ruben after he moved to LA in 1983. He had immigrated to Chicago from Monterrey as a toddler, though returning to Mexico at 12 years of age to complete high school and college. In Nuevo Leon, Mexico he received a double BA in Sociology and Philosophy, and a Masters in Business Administration from the Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon. He worked off and on for the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project during much of the last 13 years. 

 

Politically, Ruben came out of the tanda of LA-based Mexican and Central American immigrant-generation activists that incubated in the garment, hotel and service workers unions during the 1980’s. Ruben and his cohorts were an impressive group of young, idealistic, and dedicated Latino-immigrant leaders that have since excelled in labor, community, electoral, and academic circles. 

 

A union organizer during his first ten years in Califas, Ruben worked for SEIU’s famed “justice for janitors” movement after working as an organizer for the International Ladies Garment Workers Union during the “amnesty” days (after approval of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986).  

 

Ruben left the union movement over issues of internal democracy in 1995 and excelled for SVREP California through 2001 as our senior field organizer. He was a thoughtful and methodical talent who excelled at connecting with local community leaders and patiently teaching and training new activists and emerging leaders.  

 

Yearning for new challenges Ruben ran the field side of electoral campaigns including helping guide several candidates to victory in the LA area over the next couple of years.  

 

During the 2004 Presidential Election campaign Ruben ran minority voter participation campaigns for the Campaign for Community Change (CCC).

 

Through 2007 Ruben worked with CCC on promoting grassroots support for comprehensive immigration reform in Congress. However, the controversial Senate immigration reform bill of 2007 proved too much for Ruben to stomach. He told me “our immigrant leaders kept telling us that they hated the bill but CCC had cut a deal. I just couldn’t be part of that…”  

 

Returning to SVREP in 2008, Ruben helped lead our work in the western region. As always, Ruben was diligent and effective and quickly endeared himself to our younger staff. A reliable advisor Ruben gave insightful input across all our programs. 

Ruben also consulted with the Latino Voters League, helping lead their work advocating on California propositions. 

Ruben’s second tour of duty at SVREP was characterized by fragile health. A longtime smoker, Ruben came back to SVREP a changed man relying heavily on inhalers and medication. He had quit, but the damage was done. After some two years of lung problems Ruben passed away of complications in his native Monterrey, Mexico, his mother and sisters at his side. 

An honorable man of ideas, principles, and action, Ruben Villarreal made his contribution at the organic level of Latino politics as a patient, tireless organizer-trainer of our people. After more than thirty years in the “business” of Latino community politics I can tell you without reservation that such cadres are the rarest of gems. 

Like a shooting star, Ruben’s flame burned twice as bright, but only half as long. But he will always be present in the consciousness and memories of all those who he nurtured so generously.  

 

 

Ruben Villarreal presente!