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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Julian Teixeira
(202) 776-1812
jteixeira@nclr.org
WASHINGTON, D.C.—NCLR (National Council of La Raza) was saddened to hear of the passing of Raymond Telles, an iconic figure in Hispanic politics who was the first Mexican American elected as mayor of a major U.S. city, El Paso, Texas. Telles passed away last Friday at the age of 97.
“Raymond Telles opened the door to the thousands of Hispanics who now serve as elected officials throughout the nation and at the highest levels of government. He was deeply involved in the Viva Kennedy movement, which marked the first time a national leader courted the Hispanic vote, and he lived to witness the Latino vote make the difference in the 2012 election. It is a great blessing that Telles was able to see the fruits of his groundbreaking work empower Latinos in this country,” said Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO.
Telles’s record of accomplishment is remarkable. In addition to being El Paso’s first Hispanic mayor, he served as the U.S. ambassador to Costa Rica under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson and was appointed to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission by President Nixon. He also had a long career in the U.S. Army and Air Force and was a veteran of both World War II and the Korean War.
“The life and legacy of Raymond Telles is testament to the fact that all of us in the Hispanic community stand on the shoulders of giants. With utmost dignity, thoughtfulness and modesty, Telles contributed much to his community that should be acknowledged and honored. Our deepest condolences to his wonderful family, his many friends and colleagues and the people of his beloved city of El Paso,” concluded Murguía.
NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.
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