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July 26, 2023

Juan Ramos, Leader of Phila. Young Lords, Councilmember & Puerto Rican Rights Activist, Dies at 71
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Juan Ramos, former Philadelphia city councilmember and a founder and
leader of the Philadelphia chapter of the Young Lords, has died at the
age of 71 after a battle with Alzheimer's. Ramos was just 2 when his
family moved from Puerto Rico to Philadelphia, and became active in
civil rights in high school. Ramos spoke out against racism, police
brutality, as well as poverty and housing issues in communities of
color.

Ramos later helped lead efforts in the Puerto Rican community to defeat
Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo's attempt to eliminate term limits. He
went on to found and lead the Puerto Rican Alliance, which fought for
bilingual education, against police brutality, and spearheaded a large
squatters movement in abandoned government-owned houses. This led to
over 150 Puerto Rican families eventually winning titles to those homes.
He also served as a Philadelphia city councilmember, a union organizer
and a church deacon.


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