Bien Hecho: Raúl Borbón, Activist And Educator
In late November, the Latino community of Pasadena, California lost an ardent and tireless advocate of immigrant and education rights, Raúl Borbón. After a yearlong battle with cancer, he passed away in his home surrounded by his family.
Born in Mexico in 1955, Borbón migrated to California as an adult, and became involved in his local community, helping other immigrants learn English, and striving for educational equality for all.
According to Roberta Martinez, a friend of Borbón’s who wrote about his funeral for Pasadena Now, dozens upon dozens of people whose lives he touched came to pay their last respects:
There were individuals from the ACLU, All Saints Episcopal Church, City of Pasadena, Flintridge Center, Pasadena Unified School District, Invest in PUSD Kids, and many other groups. It truly was standing room only.
Raúl had worked with each of these groups as a committee member, often serving as a cultural or linguistic translator. He shared his expertise in honing group vision and mission statements, strategic planning, and community outreach. Raúl had a lot of gifts that he generously shared: each given that all might enjoy greater equity.
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[Photo By Pocho1 via Vozmob]