Summary

King County Executive Dow Constantine and Councilmember Larry Gossett today joined county residents in mourning the loss of Roberto Maestas, the longtime leader of the community organization El Centro de la Raza.

Story

King County Executive Dow Constantine and Councilmember Larry Gossett today joined county residents in mourning the loss of Roberto Maestas, the longtime leader of the community organization El Centro de la Raza.

Executive Constantine said:

“I have long known Roberto Maestas as a vibrant leader of the Latino community and the larger community, a man whose greatest skill was bringing people together, and a champion of equal rights for all. We will miss him.

“We lost a lion today. Roberto was relentless in his pursuit of justice, while offering service and support to those in need. The spark he and colleagues Councilmember Larry Gossett, Bob Santos, and the late Bernie Whitebear created those many years ago will continue to light the way in our community for years to come.

“Roberto’s devotion to equity and social justice made him an inspiration to political leaders of our time.

“I have ordered that the flags over King County buildings be flown at half-staff in his honor.”


Councilmember Gossett said:

“Roberto was the pre-eminent leader and political activist of our time when it comes to all the important movements for social change which have taken place in the Pacific Northwest over the past 40 years.

“When Native Americans struggled for fishing rights in the late ’60s and early ’70s, Roberto was on the front line. When Black construction workers rose up in 1969 and demanded a fair share of construction jobs in our community, Roberto was there. When poor and disenfranchised Latinos organized to improve their community, Roberto was there to lead the struggle to create El Centro de La Raza.

“He has been there for striking garbage workers, the women’s movement for abortion rights, the resistance of Asian communities to the encroachment of the Kingdome — Roberto has been there for every genuine effort to bring about meaningful improvement to the life conditions of people throughout Martin Luther King Jr. County. And because of his legacy we will sorely miss his tremendous contributions to our community.”