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They were pioneers and trailblazers in their fields. Some were activists and artists, including several beloved musicians. They were notable Latinos that passed away in 2025.
Jim Avila, 70, journalist
Avila was a journeyman news reporter until June 1994, when Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman were found dead in a Brentwood mansion. On the story for KNBC, his coverage of the murders and the subsequent trial of O.J. Simpson brought him to national prominence.
Avila joined “NBC Nightly News” in 2000, before moving to ABC News in 2004. He covered 9/11, and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. In 2015, as White House correspondent for ABC, Avila broke the news of the U.S. reopening diplomatic ties with Cuba. He was inducted into the National Assn. of Hispanic Journalists Hall of Fame in 2019.
“My brother used to be frustrated that, back in the day, if you were Latino, stations only wanted you to cover so-called ‘Mexican stories,’” his brother Jaie Avila, a fellow journalist, recalled. “Jim wanted to cover all kinds of stories.”
Avila died Nov. 12 from complications from a fall.
Joseph I. Castro, 58, educator
Raised by a single mother, Castro grew up in humble circumstances in the San Joaquin Valley. Through education, he transformed his life. A graduate of UC Berkeley and Stanford University, he became the first Latino president of Fresno State in 2013. There, he helped raise Latino enrollment and college graduation rates. In 2021, he became the first Latino chancellor of the California State University.
Castro’s lifelong mission was to reshape possibilities for young Latinos who did not believe they could access higher education.
“He was a walking role model for kids from the San Joaquin Valley,” said Hugo Morales, co-executive director of Radio Bilingüe. “He was an incredible person, as someone who could translate his desire for achievement for San Joaquin Valley kids into concrete action.”
Castro died Aug. 24 after a battle with colon cancer.
Gilda Cruz-Romo, 85, opera singer
As a child growing up in Guadalajara, Mexico, Cruz-Romo loved to dress up and play imaginary games. But her vocal talents were real — and propelled her to fame as an acclaimed operatic soprano.
After singing with the National Opera of Mexico, she launched an international career. In the 1970s and ‘80s, Cruz-Romo sang lead roles at the Metropolitan Opera, including Aida, Tosca and Madama Butterfly. She also performed at the Royal Opera House in London and La Scala in Milan.
Cruz-Romo accomplished this at a time when there were few Latinas in classical music. When she appeared with the New York City Opera in 1970, the New York Times headline read, “Mexican Sings City Opera Butterfly.”
Cruz-Romo later became a voice professor at the University of Texas at Austin. “She was a wonderful teacher and mentor,” said former student Diana G. Allan. “She was so detailed; we would work on one page of music for an hour.”
“Her greatest skill was her interpretation,” Allan reflected. “She sang from the heart.”
Cruz-Romo died June 30 in San Antonio, Texas.
Cleto Escobedo III, 59, bandleader
Born to a musical family, Escobedo was an accomplished saxophonist who performed with Paula Abdul, Luis Miguel and Marc Anthony. Yet it was his lifelong friendship with Jimmy Kimmel that made him a regular TV presence. Escobedo and Kimmel grew up across the street from each other in Las Vegas, and when Kimmel got his own late-night talk show in 2003, he brought Escobedo on as his bandleader. The band, “Cleto and the Cletones,” also featured his father, making them the only father/son performers on late-night TV.
Kimmel paid tribute to his friend on TV and on social media, writing on Instagram, “Cleto and I have been inseparable since I was nine years old. The fact that we got to work together every day is a dream neither of us could ever have imagined would come true.”
Escobedo died Nov. 11 from cardiogenic shock stemming from complications from a liver transplant.
Richard Estrada, 83, social justice leader
Estrada was a Catholic priest in the late ‘80s when he noticed increased numbers of homeless immigrant youth turning up at his downtown church. Concerned about their plight, he founded Jovenes, Inc., an organization that offers housing and healthcare to young people.
He devoted his life to helping people from marginalized communities and believed in direct action — whether it was handcuffing himself to a federal building to draw attention to the suffering of immigrant detainees, or mortgaging his own home to raise funds for his nonprofit youth organization. His activist roots ran deep: In the 1970s, he marched with Cesar Chavez in support of farm worker rights.
Estrada joined the Episcopal Church in 2015.
“He was a visionary,” said Raquel Román, executive director of Proyecto Pastoral. “He stood by what he believed in, and was always willing to work towards making our community better.”
Estrada died March 31 from complications stemming from COVID-19.
Raúl Grijalva, 77, congressman
As a young man, Grijalva was an activist with the Raza Unida party, advocating for political power for Mexican Americans. Then, as a Democrat, Grijalva spent nearly 30 years in Tucson politics. He was first elected to Congress in 2002 and won reelection 11 times.
Grijalva was the longest-serving co-chair of the Progressive Caucus and a senior member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. He fought for immigrant rights, protections for tribal lands and environmental causes. Grijalva was known for his bolo ties and sense of humor. His campaign signs featured a doodle of his mustache, while his campaign committee was titled, “A Whole Lot of People for Grijalva.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) praised him on social media after his death, calling him “one of the biggest champions for working people in all of Congress.”
Grijalva died of complications from cancer treatment March 13.
Flaco Jiménez, 86, accordionist
Born Leonardo Jiménez, but better known by his nickname “Flaco,” the singer, songwriter and master accordion player brought the conjunto music of his native Texas to a broader audience.
When he started off, his old-fashioned rhythms were dismissed as “cantina music.” Yet for more than seven decades, Jiménez found ways to make his sound relevant for new generations, collaborating with the likes of the Rolling Stones, Linda Ronstadt and Willie Nelson. He was also a member of the Texas Tornados quartet.
Jiménez won five Grammy Awards over the course of his career and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015. He was also awarded the National Medal of Arts in 2022.
“Flaco brought conjunto music to the world; he was a true ambassador for the art form,” said Texas music expert Hector Saldaña. “His heart and soul were always in Texas. What Louis Armstrong was to New Orleans, that’s what Flaco was to San Antonio.”
Jiménez died July 31 from an undisclosed illness.
Susanna MacManus, 82, restaurateur
Running a restaurant was not originally in MacManus’ career plans. The Lincoln Heights native earned a master’s degree from UCLA and went on to teach Spanish at Occidental College for 34 years.
When her mother passed away in 1999, MacManus and her sister took over Cielito Lindo, the Olvera Street institution first started by their grandmother in 1934. MacManus became co-manager and the public face of the eatery, even as she continued to lecture at Occidental.
MacManus helped usher Cielito Lindo into the 21st century, drawing attention from Huell Howser, Anthony Bourdain and foodie websites. She updated the menu to include carne asada fries and horchata lattes. Her gregarious nature made her a beloved figure to generations of Angelenos; she gave her salsa recipe to anyone who asked.
“Susanna had incredible energy for her kitchen and for teaching,” said her friend and colleague Salvador Fernández. “She was aware of the cultural value of her food for L.A.’s Latino community.”
MacManus died June 25 of cardiac arrest.
For the record:
9:34 p.m. Jan. 6, 2026A previous version of this article said Raul Malo died from colon cancer. The cause of death was leptomeningeal disease.
Raul Malo, 60, singer-songwriter and vocalist
Cuban American Raul Malo co-founded the country band The Mavericks in 1989. During their commercial peak in the 1990s, The Mavericks almost defied categorization, drawing inspiration from Latin, swing, rock ‘n’ roll and Afro-Cuban music. With Malo as their soulful frontman, the group’s 1994 album, “What a Crying Shame,” went platinum. Two years later, the band won the Grammy for country performance by a duo or group with vocal for “Here Comes The Rain.” The Mavericks were twice named vocal group of the year at the Country Music Assn. Awards. In 2020, the group released an acclaimed Spanish-language album, titled “En Español.”
Shortly before he passed away, Malo was feted with an emotional tribute in Nashville, where he was honored with the American Eagle Award from the National Music Council of the U.S.
“Malo’s sound could be indescribably infectious, just irresistible,” said music scholar Nadine Hubbs. “He brought a lot of stylistic mixtures and musical diversity to country music.”
Malo died Dec. 8 from leptomeningeal disease.
Abraham Quintanilla Jr., 86, music impresario
A former singer himself, Quintanilla’s life story will always be intertwined with the legacy of his daughter, Tejano superstar Selena.
It was Quintanilla who first recognized Selena’s potential and pushed her to sing, initially, in Spanish. He managed Selena’s career, from the early days touring with her family band Los Dinos to her triumph at the 1994 Grammys. After Selena’s murder in 1995, it was Quintanilla who approved the innumerable tributes, licensing deals and products that turned her into a totem for modern Mexican American identity.
Quintanilla also served as an executive producer on the 1997 film “Selena,” in which he was portrayed by Edward James Olmos.
Quintanilla was viewed by some as the ultimate stage father. When podcaster Maria Garcia interviewed him, however, she was struck by how different he seemed in person. “There was something light about his spirit and disposition,” she said. “There was a softness to him that really surprised me. He was more vulnerable than I expected him to be.”
Quintanilla died Dec. 13. His cause of death has not been revealed.
Johnny Rodriguez, 73, country singer
In 1971, Rodriguez arrived in Nashville as a 20-year-old with $14 in his pocket and his guitar in his hand. It only took him a few years to become the first Mexican American country western star.
In the 1970s and ‘80s, Rodriguez scored six No.1 singles on the Billboard country charts, with nine others reaching the Top 10. His 1973 debut album, “Introducing,” also reached No 1.
Rodriguez had a traditional country sound, a rich baritone voice and rugged good looks (he once appeared on TV’s “The Dating Game”). He released 35 albums over a 40-year career, performing at venues as varied as the Grand Ole Opry, Carnegie Hall, and a 1989 inaugural ball for George H.W. Bush.
“My dad showed that it doesn’t matter where you come from,” said his daughter, Aubry Rodriguez. “If you have something special to say, you can be successful and represent your roots and your people.”
Rodriguez died May 9 from an undisclosed cause.
Raul A. Reyes is an attorney and television commentator in New York City. You can follow him on X: (@RaulAReyes) and on Instagram (@raulareyes1).
