LULAC Women’s Leader Pays Tribute To Late National President, Enrique “Rick” Dovalina Upon His Passing

Nation’s Oldest and Largest Latino Civil Rights Organization Recalls His Support for the Role of Women and Solidarity with Puerto Rico

Washington, DC - Elsie Valdes-Ramos, National Vice-President for Women of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) today highlighted the major achievements realized together with former national president Rick Dovalina, who died Monday in Houston, Texas. Dovalina was an attorney by profession who served as the 46th national president of LULAC between 1998 and 2002. He had been an active civil rights advocate and previously served as legal counsel to LULAC during his more than 40-year service in the League.

“We are stricken by the loss of President Dovalina and still find it difficult to accept he is gone. As National Vice-President for Women and on behalf of the entire membership of the LULAC Women's Commission, I wish to express our deepest and heartfelt condolences over the passing of our friend and partner. First, Enrique was a LULAC leader who was very supportive of the LULAC Women's Commission. He understood and embraced the commission’s vital role in an organization that had benefited from the enormous contributions of women. Also, President Dovalina recognized that LULAC needed to do more to acknowledge the position that women had rightfully earned within LULAC. I will be forever indebted to President Dovalina for the strength with which he stood with us. He was a man who joined proudly with us, unafraid to acknowledge our space and he worked shoulder-to-shoulder in equity and equality with us.

Similarly, President Dovalina shall always be treasured and remembered fondly by the people of Puerto Rico for his tireless efforts on our behalf. In him, we found a staunch ally, a loyal colleague and a man of indisputable integrity. He understood well the challenges that we were facing in Puerto Rico and was an advocate on our behalf in the halls of Congress and with the president of the United States. In the chronicles of LULAC’s history, there will always be a very special place for President Dovalina. He spoke his mind, walked his will and did so always with a love for justice. Our sincere condolences to his family and all who grieve as we do his passing. The struggle continues which is, I am certain, what he would want us to do. We shall miss our brother who will now live on within each of us.”

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About LULAC
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1,000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit https://lulac.org/