On behalf of the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project (SVREP) and the William C. Velasquez Institute (WCVI) board of directors and staff, we sadly inform our community and its allies that Antonio Gonzalez, SVREP and WCVI President, passed away on Sunday, November 11, 2018, after a courageous battle with cancer. That we are heartbroken is an understatement. Antonio was a determined and tireless warrior who worked up until the end. He was able to see the results of the recent elections and rejoiced in the victories the Latino vote and SVREP’s efforts brought the nation.
As President of SVREP and WCVI, Antonio Gonzalez dedicated his life to empowering Latinos, from mobilizing voters and training novices and community leaders to become viable political candidates, to finding innovative solutions to the systemic barriers that our communities face. He also worked across borders building relationships with community members throughout the United States, Mexico, Central, and South America and Cuba. Antonio was a visionary and astute strategist whose impact will benefit communities for years to come.
Antonio was named one of the 25 most influential Hispanics in America by Time Magazine in 2005 and was recently named by the Frederick Douglass Family Initiative as one of the "Frederick Douglass 200," a list of those who best embody the spirit and work of Frederick Douglass. The list also includes President Barack Obama, Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, and Secretary Robert Reich, among others.
He was a pioneer in the area of environmental justice and was an early advocate for brown green policies in the Latino community, advocating for equitable and accessible open space.
A champion for the underserved and underrepresented, Antonio dedicated his life to fighting against all anti-immigrant, anti-Latino policies.
Antonio’s voice, legacy, and vision will live on in both SVREP's and WCVI’s work to embolden the Latino community, give a voice to the disenfranchised, protect children, and to empower the oppressed.
Antonio Gonzalez is survived by his wife Alma Martinez, daughters Sara and Isabel Gonzalez, his mother, brothers and sister, and family.
We will provide more details as they become available.
