MAY 9, 2024 — The UTSA Libraries Special Collections and the family of one of the nation’s most influential voting rights advocates will unite for an evening of profound significance dedicated to the life and legacy of William C. Velásquez. This unique plática, “Willie Velásquez: Su Voz,” will serve as a tribute, marking what would have been Velásquez’s 80th birthday and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, an organization he founded and spearheaded.
“Willie Velásquez: Su Voz,” will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 16, in the Buena Vista Theater at the UTSA Downtown Campus. Open to the public, the plática will give attendees a look into the multifaceted layers of Velásquez’s life, exploring his motivations, challenges, and triumphs that extended far beyond his role as a voting rights champion.
Presidential candidate George H.W. Bush attends a Hispanic voter registration campaign event in 1987 with Willie Velasquez, president of the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project.
“Willie Velásquez’s legacy goes beyond activism; it’s about family sacrifice and the enduring struggle for voting and Chicano rights,” said Susana Lopez-Krulevitch, UTSA Libraries Advisory Council member. “His wife supported him unconditionally and we have an obligation to honor the family’s sacrifice of having to share him with everyone.”
Lopez-Krulevitch added, “I’m so happy UTSA is providing a space for this commemoration. UTSA not only collects stories but continues to bring those stories to the community by supporting activities like this.”
Moderated by Teresa Niño, UTSA vice president for University Relations, the plática will feature esteemed guests who were inspired by Velasquez’s work and have taken up the mantle themselves. Among them is Jane Velásquez, the widow of Willie Velasquez and a dedicated activist in her own right. Her presence adds an intimate dimension, offering personal reflections on Velasquez’s enduring commitment to social change.
Voting rights advocates Willie Velasquez and Andy Hernandez display a map of Mexican American voter polling in San Antonio during a press conference on March 4, 1982.
Accompanying her will be local luminaries, including former San Antonio City Councilwoman María Antonietta Berriozábal, who will bring her firsthand experiences of advocacy within the Latino community; Dora Olivo, former representative for District 27 of the Texas House of Representatives, who will provide a legislative perspective on the ongoing fight for voting rights; and Anthony Gonzalez, John Marshall High School Mexican American Studies teacher and the winner of the 2022 Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities Award from Humanities Texas.
Central to the plática will be a UTSA Special Collections pop-up exhibit featuring photographs, memorabilia and clippings concentrating on Velásquez’s life, mission and accomplishments. The exhibit will focus on the man beyond the organization that was his life’s work.
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