RAY HERNANDEZ

1956 - 2023

RAY D. HERNANDEZ

Sept. 30, 1956 Apr. 7, 2023

On Good Friday, Ray Daniel Danny Hernandez, one of the most beloved and respected community leaders in San Diego and Imperial County, died of cancer, and his loss reverberated across the community. Danny was born in Brawley to Manuel Hernandez and Pilar Sanchez Hernandez on September 30, 1956. Both his parents were activists in the Brawley American Citizens Club, a Democratic club comprised of Mexican-Americans determined to improve their lives by working to elect candidates who supported Latino causes. It was this early childhood exposure that led him to emerge as a tireless social justice leader who helped many, especially women, to elevate their profiles.

Danny graduated from Brawley Union High School in 1974 and attended many of his class reunions to stay connected to his friends. After high school, he attended Imperial Valley College and joined Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan (MEChA), a student group where he started his journey as a proud Chicano activist. Danny organized voter registration efforts, promoted Proposition 14 to allow migrant farm workers the right to vote on labor contracts in 1976, and worked with education counselors to increase the number of Latino students with professional degrees. In 1977, he was recruited to attend San Diego State University and worked for Gus Chavez, director of the Educational Opportunity Program.

Danny believed in the power of community and used his talents and resources to bring people together to solve problems. He served on numerous boards, where he made significant contributions. He was not one to toot his own horn, because for him, the end result was enough credit. He was a masterful communicator and a lover of leadership development.

Danny was loved by many, especially his family and his comadres. Danny was preceded in death by his parents and brother.

He is survived by his wife, Leticia; stepchildren, Xitlali, Xochitl, and Jose Alfredo; sister, Rosa; niece, Marcella (Louie Amaroux); nieces, Larissa and Faith; and grandniece, Evelyn.

A viewing will be held on Sunday, April 23, 2023, from 4 to 7 pm at Frye Chapel & Mortuary in Brawley, California. A mass will be celebrated at 10 am on Monday, April 24, 2023, at St. Margaret Mary in Brawley, California. Burial services will immediately follow at Riverview Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the California Rural Legal Assistance El Centro office.