On Thursday, April 10, the Coalición de Derechos Humanos, an organization that promotes the migrants’ human and civil rights, hosted a vigil for former congressman Raúl Grijalva, who died from complications related to cancer treatment on March 13. 

The vigil took place at the El Tiradito Wishing Shrine located in the Old Barrio area of Downtown Tucson. 

“What we’re hoping for is that the vigil allows for the community to continue to honor him,” said Isabel Garcia, co-chair and long term member of the Coalición de Derechos Humanos. 

Grijalva was born and raised in Tucson. He graduated from Sunnyside High School, then in 1974 he went on to be a school board member for 12 years. In 1989 he became a member of the Pima County Board of Supervisors and served for 13 years. 

In 2002, he was elected into Congress and represented Tucson and Southern Arizona for over two decades.

During his time in congress, Grijalva focused on immigration and environmental issues. He used his position as a voice for everyone who was struggling in Arizona, Garcia said.

“Raúl had the respect of so many and his work defending immigrants, the environment and indigenous people can’t be replicated really easily,” she said. 

Grijalva worked with the Coalición de Derechos Humanos on many of their immigration projects and became close with workers and volunteers.

“He’s been my friend for so long, you know, it’s a real loss to the community because he has been a champion for people’s rights from everywhere but particularly here,” Garcia said.

Grijalva also gained the respect and trust of members of the state’s Indigenous nations because he knew how important the people were to his causes, she added. 

One speaker at the vigil, a member of the Tohono O’odham Nation, cried throughout the event and described Grijalva’s importance to her people and to her own understanding of their struggle.

“At the end, when she finished her speech, she said, ‘I didn’t cross the frontera, the frontera crossed me,’ and it was something she said that she understood from Raúl,” said Maria Eugenia Carrasco, a program coordinator for the Coalición de Derechos Humanos, referring to the phrase that emphasizes the U.S.-Mexico border’s division of communities like the O’odham.

About 100 people attended the vigil – twice as many as there were chairs.  There was an altar filled with pictures of Grijalva and laid with candles and colorful handmade paper flowers. Music played and people sang, spoke and read in the former congressman’s honor.

“It was so beautiful. The vibes – you could feel it all,” Carrasco said. “It was so moving and we were all crying.”

People came together to mourn the death of a leader who understood them, she said. Because of Grijalva’s experience growing up in Tucson, he was a part of their fight and took that effort to the national level.

“Since the moment he got into congress he never changed,” Carrasco said. “He was always the same man – very humble, very focused on his community.” 

“He stayed in the same Mexican barrio until he died,” Garcia added.

While he had opportunities to serve on some of the most important congressional committees, he declined the offer when he learned he’d have to drop his leadership on the natural resources committee. 

“We’ve lost a voice that could reflect those histories and knowledge and presence,” Garcia said. “We counted on him to be our voice.”

“We are orphans on this border right now because he is not here,” Carrasco added.

The vigil was meant to preserve Grijalva’s legacy, she said. 

“More than anything, I would like for kids who are growing up, you know, to see in Raúl a person they want to be like,” she said.

Grajlava’s daughter, Adelita Grijalva, is now running to take her fathers seat in Congress. 

“We’re gonna support her and get her to a position where she can be better than her dad,” Garcia said. “She’s got the same sense of public service and leadership in her.”

The vigil brought people together from different backgrounds and reminded everyone that the fight is still on, even with this major loss, she added.

“We will miss him,” she said. “Not only personally, but we in the country are going to miss that leadership. We in Tucson and Southern Arizona are going to miss that voice.”

Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.