A Chicano Broadcast Pioneer Talks Politics, Adelita Grijalva and Community Empowerment

Raúl Aguirre's five decade career spans being a college campus activist, a bilingual radio talk show host, a TV producer, and now a business owner. Along the way, he's been an advocate for the Chicano/Latino communities of southern Arizona.

Raúl Aguirre, President & CEO of REA Media Group.

A look into Raúl Aguirre's professional accomplishments is also a glimpse into Tucson's civil and human rights history.

He's helped found and co-found numerous groups dedicated to gaining access for Chicano/Latinos in many spheres.

His activist journey started at the University of Arizona, where he and a friend restarted a dormant MEChA club. That group got involved in numerous actions, such as boycotting Gallo wine in support of farmworkers fighting for better wages and working conditions.

He also started a radio program that could very well be Arizona's first bilingual format, co-founded a group dedicated to gaining greater representation and fairer coverage of Latinos in mainstream media, and was part of the founders group of the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

His other area of influence has been as a political consultant and strategist. He's worked on many successful campaigns for Tucson politicos that have had major impacts on community representation and quality of life for residents. Those campaigns include Arizona's first Latina congresswoman-elect -- Adelita Grijalva. He's also supported campaigns by Regina Romero, Tucson mayor, and Pima County Board of Supervisor Andres Cano.

To hear his insights on southern Arizona politics and other Tucson community initiatives, listen to this podcast. Be sure to like and subscribe so ImpactoAZ can continue bringing you content like this.