Ruben valdez biography
Ruben valdez biography death.
Remembering Ruben Valdez
Colorado’s first Hispanic Speaker of the House, Ruben Valdez, passed away on Tuesday at age 82. He is remembered as a strong advocate for the Latino community and civil rights.
The son of a coal miner, Valdez was born in Trinidad, Colorado, in 1937.
Ruben valdez biography
After a few years working in Pueblo and in California, he moved to Denver in 1960 and became president of the Steelworkers Local 5099 union. Later working in the insurance industry and community relations, he went back to school, earning his GED and then studying at Red Rocks Community College and at Loretto Heights College.
He earned a B.A. in Political Science in 1975, while serving in the Legislature. Valdez had been elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in 1970, where he represented Denver’s largely Hispanic west side. When the Democrats gained the majority in 1975, Valdez was elected as Speaker, serving two years.
In 1977, when the majority again shifted, Valdez continued in a leader