The film Ruben Salazar: Man in the Middle draws a sympathetic hometown audience in El Paso

EL PASO — Exiting the cinema, a teary-eyed and choked-up man in his sixties wearing a white guayabera shirt and a Panama fedorasaid the film he had just finished watching was tragic and reminded him of his days as a Chicano activist in California alongside César Chávez. The film was Ruben Salazar: Man in the Middle directed by Phillip Rodriguez, which explores the life and tragic death of the legendary Mexican-American journalist. Salazar was born in the Mexican border town of Cuidad Juárez, but was raised here just across the river. He graduated from El Paso High School and Texas Western College (now the University of Texas at El Paso) before he started working at the El Paso Herald Post as a reporter and eventually at the Los Angeles Times. After leaving the Times, he went into broadcasting at the Spanish language station KMEX.

President Obama condecorates Dolores Huerta. (©HIspanic Link)

Dolores Huerta receives nation’s highest civilian honor

WASHINGTON – Dolores Huerta, pioneer civil rights advocate of the farm worker movement, received the nation’s highest civilian honor May 29. As 300 persons, including two of her 11 children and countless beneficiaries of her courageous work packed the White House East room to acknowledge of her legacy. President Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Supporters from as far away as Los Angeles applauded as President Barack Obama draped the medal on the 82-year-old Huerta. The award recognizes individuals who have made “an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.”

She led grape boycott

President Obama spoke personally about the inspiration each recipient has made in his life during the ceremony.