SAN ANTONIO – The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is mourning the loss of its longtime legal counsel, and San Antonio attorney Luis Roberto Vera, Jr.
Vera, 65, died overnight in San Antonio following a lengthy battle with an illness, according to LULAC. He was surrounded by family at the time of his passing.
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“Vera waged a courageous battle against an illness that finally claimed his life. Still, he had remained steadfastly active and working until very recently, the trademark of the fiery civil rights warrior for nearly 30 years,” LULAC said in a release.
LULAC’s National President Domingo Garcia said Vera was one of the greatest defenders of the Latino community, and he will be remembered as such for years to come.
“We have lost a friend, and our nation’s Latino community has lost one of its greatest defenders. Luis was a man whose fight for justice often took him from the streets of our poorest barrios in San Antonio to the marbled hallways of our federal courts. Judges knew when Luis Vera walked into their courtroom, he was there to win on behalf of millions of Latinos, and he did just that. He was widely respected, even by those who presented opposing legal arguments in landmark cases across a broad spectrum from voting rights to educational, employment, and housing discrimination lawsuits filed by LULAC. Luis followed in the footsteps of those before him who have helped build LULAC into one of America’s most respected civil rights organizations. Vaya con Dios Luis Vera,” Garcia said.
Other LULAC members have also offered their condolences and shared their memories of Vera. You can read some of their statements below:
“It’s hard to believe Luis is gone. He was a beloved mentor and wise legal advisor to LULAC, who helped us navigate some of the most difficult issues of our times. In days to come, I am certain that stories will abound from those who had the privilege and honor of working with him about the many tribulations Luis confronted, always with a sense of urgent purpose and very aware that his work was shaping our history. We are comforted by knowing that he dedicated his life to the very purpose that stirred his heart and spirit every day, and we are indebted to his wife and family for having shared Luis with LULAC and our nation’s Latino community. Ironically, Luis lives on through the recent lawsuits he helped file in federal court that will forever carry the imprint of his love for justice and the voice that shall never be silenced,” said Sindy Benavides, LULAC’s national chief executive officer.
“Latinos in Texas and indeed, our entire nation and Puerto Rico, have lost a selfless and brilliant legal fighter, cut from the same civil rights cloth as Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta. He was fearless and argued with the fire and brimstone passion of a legal preacher. Yet, Luis was also a legal scholar who understood the significance of civil rights law for Latinos in America and was among its giants in the field. He was my trusted adviser and legal counsel in matters Latinos in Texas are confronting, perhaps more intensely than anywhere else in our country. Luis was more than an inspiration. He was my brother and part of the Rosales family. His passing is devastating, not only to the Latino community but our great country. He is an American icon, and history will reflect that. Goodbye, my dear friend, confidante, and brother. You will be missed!!” said Rodolfo Rosales Jr., the Texas LULAC state director.
LULAC is the largest and oldest Hispanic civil rights volunteer-based organization in the U.S., and its headquarters are based in Washington, D.C. You can learn more about LULAC here.
Funeral and visitation arrangements are still pending at this time. We’ll bring more updates to this article as they become available.