Commentary: A time to remember our community leaders

By Frank X. Moraga • Amigos805

Sometimes when you hear sad news about the passing of someone you knew, your mind can race back to some odd or funny memories about them.

For me, the memories include a Dallas Cowboys jersey and a stranger in a hoodie calling out to me as the sun was setting one summer day.

Ventura County has lost two individuals who contributed to the Latino leadership in the region in very different ways.

I received an email last weekend from Irma Lopez telling me of the death of her husband, Manuel Lopez.

Immediately, my mind was filled with a flood of memories of Oxnard’s first elected Latino Mayor. I was a rookie reporter at the Ventura Star-Free Press covering the Oxnard City Council, where Manny would serve as a council member from 1978 to 1992 and then as mayor from 1992 until 2004.

As a new city beat reporter, I had to learn how to stay awake during long, boring government meetings, quickly summarize the facts, get a few quotes from council members and rush to the Star’s office in Ventura to get my story in by 10 p.m.

Fortunately, I had the aid of one Manuel Lopez, who took pity on this newbie reporter, and with grace and patience, answered my questions before and after the meeting.

Manny was also interested in my background and his eyes lite up when I mentioned that I was a homegrown reporter, with my family originally living on El Rio Drive in the El Rio neighborhood of Oxnard.

When I was not under deadline pressure, Manny would tell me stories of the old neighborhood, first known as New Jerusalem, remembering the boxing arena near when the Financial Plaza towers now stand. My dad, who was about 14 years older than Manny, would also tell me about the boxing and wrestling arena, and it was great to learn about the old days in the neighborhood.

But the image that I will always have is not Manny at the City Council chambers — it was Manny, now a former Oxnard mayor, decked out in a Dallas Cowboys jersey during one of the early Rebozo Festivals held at the home he shared with Irma and their children.

Oxnard had recently entered into the Gang Injunction, which prohibited the wearing of certain clothing by alleged gang members. That included wearing Cowboys and L.A/Oakland Raiders jerseys, something made all the more ridiculous given that Oxnard was at various times the Spring Training home to both teams.

I don’t know why but the first thing I said to Manny was “Hey, aren’t you worried about violating the gang injunction? You better not step outside your door.”

He laughed, and then shook his head about the situation. And that is the happy memory that I will always have of Manuel Lopez.

***

“Hey you!”

Getting yelled at from behind can be a little unnerving as I was probably carrying a bag of groceries into our home on Santa Paula Street right across the road from the tennis courts at Santa Paula High School.

I turned around and saw this dark figure in a hoodie and starting wondering what did I do now and how was I going to get out of this. It was starting to get dark and the figure was about 50 feet away standing on the sidewalk. At first I couldn’t make out who this person was who scrared the bejesus out of me. But after I couple more words I knew who that hooded man was.

“Damn Xavier, you scared the hell out of me,” I shouted. And Xavier “Big X” Montes just let go his big laugh. I told him he better not try that trick on too many people in town since some folks might see a big guy covered up in a hoodie as a possible security threat. He laughed again and said he was just doing his regular walk/jog around town. So down the road he went, the gifted artist, musician, youth motivator and friend.

I had first met Big X when I was assigned to report on the De Colores Art Festival in downtown Santa Paula. Veracruz-style Son Joracho music, spray can painting art workshops, folklorico dancers, food and craft vendors — what a wonderful gift to Santa Paula and the rest of the visitors who came from throughout Ventura County and even from L.A.

Big X was always in the middle of the action — in the gallery at the California Oil Museum greeting guests and talking about his artwork and the works of his artist friends, directing the performers to the stage and and of course, and playing that wonderful harp of his. The beautiful, soulful music he produced was matched by the wonderful artwork he created.

As I write this I’m gazing at a colorful image he created in July 2002 of Betriz Belinda Zamudio, or ‘BB’ as I knew her from my volunteer work with the media students at El Concilio del Condado de Ventura in Oxnard.

In the image he created, BB is wearing a feathered Aztec headress — “I like how it shows me looking proud of my heritage” she is quoted in a story in the Ventura County Star.

As a diversity writer and later as diversity director, I would often run into Big X at cultural events in Oxnard, Santa Paula and Ventura, and the Día de los Muertos celebration in Camarillo.

While I’m sad this week to learn the passing of two important community leaders, and individuals who have impacted me in very different ways, I will also be cheered by their memories and the joy of life they both had.

To all their families and friends — may you also find those happy memories in the days to come. To Manny and Xavier, may you rest in peace and enjoy eternal happiness and love…Frank M.

— Frank X. Moraga is editor/publisher of Amigos805. He has served as business editor, director of diversity and general manager of a bilingual publication at the Ventura County Star, and as a reporter in the community editions of the Orange County Register and Los Angeles Daily News.