For nearly as long as Pueblo has celebrated the Cinco de Mayo holiday, local Chicana activist and event organizer Rita Martinez was a fundamental figure in each year’s festivities.
And despite her death from COVID-19 in December, Martinez’ spirit of impassioned community activism lived on Wednesday at Plaza Verde Park on the East Side in the first Cinco de Mayo event since her passing.
“It’s taking 15 of us to replace one Rita,” said Denise Torrez, the chair of El Movimiento Sigue, which sponsors Pueblo’s most well-known Cinco de Mayo celebration each year.
“It’s been tough and we’re really missing her leadership … but when you talk about leadership development, she did that in each of us. She planted a seed in each of us and recognized each of our talents and nurtured us along the way, so she probably knew she could leave (the event) in our hands … she left us ready to roll.”