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Show Fall 2001 The West View - Issue #3 page 4 In Memory of Senator Pete Suazo No west-side community newspaper would be complete without paying respect to the late Senator Pete Suazo. People from all over mourn the loss of Suazo as a courageous political leader, passionate boxing referee, and a wellrespected individual. Suazo, age 50, died on August he told her. “[Suazo’s death] is a huge, huge loss for the state and the Democratic Party,” said former Salt Lake Mayor Ted Wilson. Wilson explained that Suazo, who represented the city’s multi-cultural West Side, was able to 19, 2001 in an all-terrain vehicle accident friend, Mike Suazo at the Suazo was who enjoyed Amateur Boxing Federation and a boxing referee. Suazo grew up in a family of boxers and always had a deep love for the sport to which he dedicated so much of his time and heart. He got involved will be difficult to replace. As the only Hispanic in Utah’s 104-member fortunate to make with people who worked together to create the Bend in the River site and the people I've met through Northwest Intermediate School, the Sorenson Center, the IHC Clinic there, and other schools. For four years, I've been driving from my Own east side neighborhood along 1300 South to plan, plant, water, and work with new friends, old and young. So it wasn't too hard for me to make a decision when Bernie Machen, president of the University of Utah, asked me if I wanted to work for him to explore how the University might reach out more effectively to the west side of in the sport as an athlete, but after lit- tle success competitively, he became a cross ethnic and political lines in dealing with people. “He was [a] Hispanic, who knew how to talk to people who were not. He was a Democrat, who knew how to talk to Republicans,’ he said. Suazo was “‘the social conscience of referee. He had always wanted to become an AIBA official and after a great deal of work and effort he was able to achieve MBA referee status. One of his greatest thrills in boxing was Officiating a bout at New York’s Madison Square Garden earlier this D-West Valley City, a friend and year. His love for boxing and his commit- Senate colleague. A champion of ment to youth and the many causes Democratic ideals, Suazo was a skilled politician who worked hard to broker consensus. On occasion, he that he felt so passionately about set him apart from other people. During the Utah Senate,’ said Sen. Ed Mayne, would seek out Republican co-spon- array of friendly people. + Martinez, who met U. in 1971. an avid outdoorsman hunting and fishing. He also was a member of the Utah politician with passion and grace who the River. Nature is like bugs and plants and long big humongo green grass but the important thing about the river is that it's part of nature." I love that book. It represents for me the exciting connections I've been so Suazo entered student poli- know each other,” said longtime as a bridge over Utah’s burgeoning Hispanic community, as well as a Salt Lake City. During this school year, I will get to drive that route even more often. And I will have a chance to explore how people in all the west side neighborhoods and people from the University could learn, work, and grow together. If you have ideas, or want to know more, please call me at 581-4519, or email me at ifisher@saff.utah.edu. Here's my offering as a postscript to the children's book: The important thing about west side neighborhoods is the wonderful array of friendly people. There are school children who have learned about nature at the Bend. There are adults who give time and energy to build a better community. There is a winding, gentle river flowing through those neighborhoods. But the important thing about west side neighborhoods is the wonderful of Utah. ed us all to sit together and get to sisters, Katherine Aguirre, Rebecca Suazo, Georgia Arellano, Anna Marie Suazo, Ellie Suazo, and Gonzaga “Andy’ Suazo. Friends and colleagues recall Suazo Important (continued from page 1) Bachelor’s degree in corrections and criminology and a Master’s degree in economics, both from the University to reserve the University’s small Chicano population a section at football and basketball games. “He want- sons, Travis, Abel, Emilio and Julio Suazo; his parents, Patricio and Cecilio Suazo; and his brothers and out for him. At a memorial service held on August 24th, Alicia Suazo recalled the day her husband, taking inspiration from a Hispanic state senator in New Mexico (where the family lived in the early 1980s), decided to run for office. “This Chicano boy is going to be a senator, not in New Mexico, but in Utah where the work is going to be doubly hard and the victory glorious,” from West High School. He earned a tics at the U of U, because he wanted near Joe’s Valley in the Manti-La Sal National Forest during a deer-hunting trip with family and friends. He is survived by his wife, Alicia Suazo; his Legislature, Suazo had his work cut several years fought to adopt a more pro-active and effective hate crimes law. A Salt Lake native, Suazo graduated sors for his bills to increase their odds of passage in the GOP-controlled Utah Legislature. Suazo, who was director of community outreach for the Utah League of Credit Unions, was first elected to the state House in 1992 and was elected to the state Senate in 1996. He was serving as assistant minority whip. As Suazo climbed the ranks of local government and then the State Legislature, he never forgot his roots and the concerns of his west-side constituency - largely multi-ethnic minorities and working-class families. Although he had the resources to move out of his neighborhood, Suazo committed himself to better his community and ensure that the concerns of its residents were not overlooked in the public process. In recent years, he was known for his battle to rename Utah’s Human Rights Day to Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and over the last a eulogy of her husband, delivered with sons Emilio and Julio at her side, Alicia Suazo recounted him debating hate-crimes legislation on the Senate floor with “his passion, his eloquence. It made me want to stand up and say, ‘That man is my husband,’ “ she said. Senate Minority Leader Mike Dmitrich, D-Price, said Suazo dedicat- ed his life to helping others and had a wonderful spirit of community. “Not only will I miss him personally, but I believe the state of Utah has also lost a hero and voice populations. We legacy is carried Pete Suazo left impression on so for the under-served will see to it that his on,’ he said. a very positive many people, and through these people his influence and legacy will live on. + (Excerpted in part from The Utah Democrat Vol.2001 No.2, ’Democrats Mourn Loss of Sen. Pete Suazo” and Boxing USA Vol. XX Issues 1-3, In Memory of Pete Suazo”.) |
