By Herb Boyd

Amsterdam News, April 2004

During the last several years, Richie Perez was easily identifiable at a protest march or rally. He was the one with the cane. Though he was physically challenged, Pérez’s resistant spirit and insightful analysis remained valuable contributions to the struggle for justice and equality.

Pérez, 59, died last Saturday at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. His wife, Martha Laureano Pérez, said the activist had prostate cancer.

While Pérez lent his tireless energy to a number, of progressive causes; it was as a staunch foe of police brutality that he gained his widest reputation.

“He was a big inspiration … he went to court with us every time,” said Iris Baez, whose son, Anthony, was killed by a police officer in 1995. “He was there to explain the proceedings and to remind us to be patient.”

Whether, in the courtroom or in the streets, Pérez was a key coordinator of demonstrations against the violence of overzealous police officers and the increasing problem of racial profiling. It didn't matter how cold it was; he was determined to let the NYPD know that they could not kill with impunity.

“We must struggle no matter the weather,” he said at a rally where the temperature was well below freezing. “They kill us in the cold weather.”

A native of the South Bronx, Pérez joined the Young Lords in 1969; and much like the Black Panther Party, the group, mainly composed of Puerto Rican youth, began to provide services that were lacking in the community. They created medical clinics, day care centers, and drug rehabilitation centers. Pérez, continued similar activities into the 1980s as director of community development at the Community Service Society, which was dedicated to helping the poor and disadvantaged.

“We can best honor his life, by continuing his work,” his longtime friend and associate Panama Alba said during an interview with Sally O’Brien on WBAI. “He fought for equal rights and justice all over the world.”

Among the many organizations that came to rely on Pérez’s commitment was the National Congress for Puerto Rican Rights, which he co-founded. It was from his position as the co-chair of the organization’s Justice Committee that he consoled and counseled victims of police brutality and racial discrimination.

People’s Justice 2000, formed in the wake of the assault on Abner Louima and the killing of Amadou Diallo to offset police brutality, was another organization that Pérez helped to found and to nurture.

Before becoming a member of the Young Lords, Pérez, a graduate of City College, was a teacher in the South Bronx. But, the classroom was not enough to keep him from getting involved in the struggle for social change. As a member of the Young Lords, he edited their newspaper Pa’lalante. This inclination to write never ceased and right to his last moments of strength, he was sending out emails, opposing the war in Iraq and alerting readers to a number of critical issues.

“We looked to him for guidance,” said Rosa Clemente, who is following in Pérez’s footsteps as an activist and communicator. “He was a mentor, a father figure who we will deeply miss.”

“One of our obligations is not to allow our people to stand alone,” Pérez said during one of his final speeches.

Pérez is survived by his wife; his son, Danny Laureano, and his mother, Ann Pérez. A memorial service is planned.