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Goldmark Award 2005 - Cristobal Joshua Alex

Introduction of Assistant Professor Joaquin Avila

Cristobal Joshua Alex Goldmark Award Luncheon - February 18, 2005

It is a great honor for me to introduce to you Professor Joaquin Avila. It is especially meaningful to me as a Latino attorney because Professor Avila is one of the most influential leaders in the Brown movement--The Latino civil rights movement. Joaquin Avila has taken what is perhaps the greatest equalizer, the vote, and made sure that for communities of color, and Latinos in particular, it counted.

Joaquin Avila, grew up in Compton, California. He graduated as valedictorian from Centennial High School. Now, Compton, as you may know, is not an easy place to grow up. That Compton toughness has stuck with Joaquin throughout his life.

After graduating he went on to Yale. Following Yale, Joaquin went on to Harvard Law School, where he served as Comments and Case editor on the Harvard Civil Rights Law Review. He graduated in 1973 and went on to clerk on the Alaska Supreme Court. Joaquin followed his passion to the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, MALDEF, the preeminent Latino civil rights organization. He became General Counsel in 1982. While at MALDEF, Professor Avila formulated and implemented a national Latino civil rights agenda.

Following his tenure at MALDEF he started his own private practice focusing exclusively on voter rights—the only one of its kind in California. He now teaches at Con law, Voter Rights and Latinos in the law at Seattle University School of Law.

Professor Avila has received numerous awards and accolades throughout his distinguished career, including the California State Bar Loren Miller Legal Services Award, the MacArthur Fellowship, and the Benito Juarez award from the Hispanic National Bar Association.

Now, all of that one can get from reading Professor Avila’s 30 vitae, or the three-page talking points cheat sheet. But I, ladies and gentlemen, have done my research. I have gone beyond the vitae. I asked Joaquin, when I found out that I was the lucky one to introduce him, if I could talk to a few of his students at SU. He said, sure, the ‘A’ students, not the ‘B’ students.

The students, when talking about Professor Avila, all have a sense of excitement when they discuss his classes. They know that the person teaching them is the top voter rights expert in the nation. They know that their professor has successfully litigated over 60 cases; several before the U.S. Supreme Court. And they also realize that the professor before them is dedicated to teaching the next generation of lawyers. And they are amazed at his openness, and modesty.

One student explained to me that Professor Avila referenced an older television series in his class. When the class fell silent, the professor said, “Well, I’m from the howdy doody generation.”

I spoke with Dan Gandara, who attended Harvard at the same time Joaquin was there, thirty years ago. Dan was a year below Joaquin. And the way he described Joaquin, was not very different from the way the students describe him. “He is and has always been an incredibly hard worker and mentor.” Dan referred to Joaquin as the “Mother Hen.”

There were only a handful of Chicanos in Boston at that time. And they all knew Joaquin. Joaquin would always make sure the students were studying. According to Dan, Joaquin seemed to always have a key to one room or another at the school. He was always there when someone’s car broke down, needed cab fare or needed help moving or just needed support and mentorship.

But despite the soft exterior and the mother hen abilities, he is still the tough kid from Compton. Allegedly, while Joaquin was at Yale, a gang approached him, and threatened him. Rumor has it that Joaquin said, “What? I’m from Compton. I’m not afraid of this!” And they quickly dispersed without further incident.

From day one he knew he wanted to be a civil rights lawyer and he never lost sight of that. He has dedicated his life to la causa. Like Mario Obledo, Gustavo Garcia, and Loren Miller before him, he has advanced civil rights in this country and empowered the Latino community in the process. And despite all the national awards, he remains modest and has never forgotten where he comes from.

Dan mentioned to me that Joaquin is not only the smartest, but also the hardest working “fella” he knows. True to his word, Joaquin was at his office past 9:00 last night, helping to prepare the SU moot court team that he is coaching for the Thurgood Marshall competition. He was back in the office at 6:30 this morning. The students at Seattle University, the voters of Washington, and especially the Latino community of the Northwest are very, very lucky to have you here. Please join me in welcoming Professor Joaquin Avila.