FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 11, 2018
Antonio Gonzalez, strategist and leader in Latino empowerment, died November 11th.
Washington, D.C. – Antonio Gonzalez passed away Sunday, November 11th after battling cancer. Antonio Gonzalez is remembered as a passionate and unrelenting leader and strategist, and champion for the underrepresented and underserved across nations.
From 2004 to 2016, Antonio Gonzalez hosted a weekly radio show called “Strategy Session with Antonio Gonzalez” on KPFK 90.7FM in Los Angeles. On the show, Antonio broke down matters of non-inclusive politics and policies and built them back up with Latinos at the forefront of the nation’s processes and leadership.
The reach of Gonzalez’s tireless efforts extended beyond the US. He worked with nonprofits and created relationships with communities in Mexico, Haiti, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Cuba, building up strong Latino leaders and backing movements to push nations on matters of civil-rights and equity.
“Antonio was relentless in his work. He always had a new strategy and a new cause to support and to him, each was just as significant as the next,” remembers Hugo Balta, President of NAHJ. “Antonio stands out in our community because he made a real impact and created a path for the Latino people to be lifted up. In Antonio’s spirit, we will continue fighting unapologetically for the rights that we, as a Latino people deserve.”
Gonzalez was a determined proponent for US Latino voter mobilization and worked tirelessly registering and educating Latino voters until the day he passed. Urging Latinos to contribute their voices in a country that was practiced in listening.
Gonzalez was the President of William C, Velasquez Institute (WCVI) and the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project (SVREP). These nonpartisan organizations support national Latino public policy and research and Latino voter participation. As president of these organizations, Gonzalez conducted notable survey research on Latino voting behavior, created multiple coalitions that connected Latinos with climate change control and environmental sustainability, and empowered Latinos to take on political leadership roles and create change within the US.
The legacy of Antonio Gonzalez will live on in the organizations and movements he led forward and the Latinos he inspired and empowered. This undaunted leader, loving father, and passionate friend will be remembered and celebrated for his contribution to the Latino community.
###
About NAHJ The National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) is the largest organization of Latino journalists in the United States and dedicated to the recognition and professional advancement of Hispanics in the news industry. The mission of NAHJ is to increase the number of Latinos in the newsrooms and to work toward fair and accurate representation of Latinos in news media. Established in April 1984, NAHJ created a national voice and unified vision for all Hispanic journalists. NAHJ has approximately 2,300 members, including working journalists, journalism students, other media-related professionals and journalism educators. For more information please visit NAHJ.org or follow on Twitter @NAHJ.
Media Contact:
BA Snyder
Veritas Group for NAHJ
512.630.6337
BA@VeritasAustin.com