A Life Worth Living

Stephen Rivers passed from this world on Monday June 7th. He will be greatly missed.

For the most part, because he gave so much and left so much still to be done. Stephen began his political activism during the original Yes We Can movement /Si se puede!/ of Cesar Chavez on the West Coast, there are some of those old pictures on his Face Book page, where you can see the semi long ultra blonde hair and for those who knew him, imagine the quick step keeping in pace with the movement he was involved with.

For many Stephen had been for the better part of the last years of his life an exemplary "Bridge" between Cuba and the United States, but he didn't just bridge Cuba and the US culturally, he also was very aware of the need for sovereignty and independence from imperial powers, many who come down with the idea of cultural exchange don't "get" that aspect, Stephen did. Not only that, but he would never turn a blind eye to the Cuban Revolutions faults, and sure as hell voiced his opinions when asked and gave as much insight as he could to help out, and for this I personally will be forever grateful. He helped out on causes that would otherwise be left to pasture by others, the Case of the Cuban 5 for instance was one such cause he embraced, not solely the politics but precisely because the case itself is a violation of US procedural law and that was the type of thing Stephen simply would not stand for. He saw life as an endeavour where by we all must play a constructive and positive role in order to make the imprint we leave on this earth something worth remembering. Stephen left a big one. When he gave a gift it wasn't just a gesture of friendship it was always a gesture of solidarity with a cause, whether it be the RED cause championed by one of his closest friends Bobby Shriver or giving the gift of environmental awareness to my son over Christmas one year when he "gave" him the gift of a panda thanks to a fabulous campaign sponsored by the WWF.

On a personal note, he would get me thinking, he would make me personally "wake up" to things and make me take note and push me to move forward on issues I might otherwise have left along the way.

I could go on and on...

May he rest in peace and may he know that I feel safe because I know he is on my side.

 

Follow Margarita Alarcon on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Maggichu

Comments

[vivienwe]

08:36 PM on 06/08/2010

The last time I saw Stephen was at a concert he and Andy Spahn sponsored in Hollywood several weeks ago for Cuban singer Carlos Varela. Strangely, I found him to look younger and healthier than my last encounter with him inspite of his illness and the fact that he had trouble walking. He asked me what I was doing and I told him I was trying to bring some celeberties to Phoenix to march in solidarity with the opponents of SB1070 and my nephew Alejandro Chavez (grandson of Cesar Chavez).Inspite of his illness I was compelled to ask for assiatnace with this task( since I dont know any celeberties but was struck by the lack of white faces in the marches and perhaps celeberties might bring on new supporters). As soon as it was out of my mouth I felt embarrased to have burdened him with a request that would take energy away from his healing process.His response was: '" Vivien, I just need a couple more days and then I know I can help you with this, just give me a couple more days" I am sorry he did not have a couple more decades to continue doing his work and being here with us and making the world a better place but if our lives are some how measured not by years but by how much we help others then Stephen lived many lifetimes. You will be missed my dear.