A collage celebrating Raúl Grijalva
On March 13, 2025, Representative Raúl Grijalva passed away due to complications from his cancer treatment. Our hearts go out to the family, staff, and the many many friends of Representative Grijalva, who will forever be Chairman Grijalva to us. His work as chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives was incomparable. He chaired the committee with both passion and compassion and he helped bring environmental justice to the committee.
Rep. Grijalva was such a force for good and for people and the planet -- and he was persistent -- he did not give up, even in the darkest hours. Rep. Grijalva used his voice to promote environmental justice and he helped many others find and use their voices too. Even as he was preparing to leave this world, he was fighting for it, speaking up against the attacks on those most vulnerable and on the lands that he worked so hard to protect. From Grand Canyon and Great Bend of the Gila to Oak Flat and the Borderlands, from immigrants to Indigenous people to veterans, young and elder, he was their advocate, he was our advocate. We will miss him. Representative Grijalva, we honor and thank you. To his family, we are so very sorry and we want to thank you for generously sharing him with the people of Arizona and the United States.
Sierra Club - Grand Canyon Chapter Team
He was there when Nopales Group formed
Vanessa Gallego
Tucson and Pima County lost an amazing community leader and member. We are devastated by the loss of Congressman Raul Grijalva, and send our most sincere condolences to his family and staff for their loss. Aside from his illustrious and omnipresent political career, Congressman Grijalva was a family man, a community role model, and a personal friend in our family. Our lives and professional careers were touched by Mr. Grijalva in many ways, and still today we owe a lot of appreciation to his leadership, support and inspiration. Seeing Congressman Raul Grijalva represent southern Arizona in Congress, and stand for Tribes, immigrants and those pushed to the margins, was an inspiration for Sergio to become a U.S. Citizen, after 12 years of living and working in Arizona. We are indebted for life, and committed to keep his legacy alive. Gracias Congressman.
A statement from Jenny Neeley and Sergio Avila.
On a personal note, I want to say just how much Rep. Raúl Grijalva meant to me and the work that I do. I cannot remember exactly when I met him as he always treated me like a friend, always ready with a kind word, a hug, and to whisper a funny comment, usually lightening a moment. He worked fiercely for the Sonoran Desert and its people, but he did not stop there. Rep Grijalva adopted the Grand Canyon region and made sure that every step of the way Tribal Nations and Indigenous activists were front and center in the decades long effort to achieve greater protection for the lands beyond Grand Canyon National Park. The only time I was ever invited and able to speak in the U.S. House, it was Raúl Grijalva who invited me. He did not care that I was not the Sierra Club’s top dog or that I was far from a Washington, DC insider, he asked me to be there to share why Oak Flat should not be destroyed. I was so honored to be there with the Tribal leaders and I was moved by how the congressman never gave up on that effort to keep mining from destroying those sacred lands. Many thanks, Mr. Chairman.
Sandy Bahr
