Leandro Soto

Leandro P. Soto Born in Los Angeles on March 11, 1921 Leandro Soto was a well-respected activist within San Francisco's Latino community. Leandro's Chicano roots and rich cultural background inspired him to passionately pursue community service. His father was a native of Jalisco, Mexico and his mother was a waitress in Casa Blanca, CA. At the age of six, Leandro began to work as a shoe shiner and later on he became a farm worker who picked fruit in the San Joaquin Valley. With his cultural roots in mind, Leandro pursued his education and received a BA from Fresno State and a Master's Degree from St. Mary's. On March 13, 1965 Leandro, along with Herman Gallegos and James McAllister founded Arriba Juntos, a non-profit agency devoted to helping Latino immigrants settle comfortably in the Mission district. Leandro P. Soto passed away on October 31, 2010 in Marin County. Leandro is survived by his wife Lily, his daughter Lorena, and granddaughter Lucero.