The editorial boards of El Tribuno del Pueblo and People’s Tribune want to pay tribute and show respect for the life of a great advocate for humanity in the South Texas border region, Eddie Canales. Eddie, a long-time human rights activist and the founder and director of the South Texas Human Rights Center (STHRC), passed away on the morning of July 31, 2024.
Eddie was born in Corpus Christi, Texas and spent most of his life participating and committing to social and economic justice movements in various roles with grassroots organizations. His most recent work began in 2013 when he founded the South Texas Human Rights Center in Falfurrias, Texas, to prevent migrant deaths through advocacy, organizing, and public education.
The STHRC, with the support of volunteers and under the guidance of Eddie Canales, located migrants’ bodies and those who are still alive and reunited them with their loved ones. These volunteers work in dangerous and challenging routes that official policies force migrants to take in search of a better life.
In 2022, Eddie was interviewed by two photojournalists from Tribuno del Pueblo to explain to our readers the struggles and difficulties his organization and volunteers face daily when dealing with different government or private entities to locate migrants; or sometimes to repatriate the bodies of migrants who died while trying to reach the American dream, back to their families.
Eddie established partnerships with grassroots organizations that shared the goal of promoting and defending human rights. One such collaboration was with the Director of Anthropology at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, to support Operation Identification and the repatriation of unidentified human remains that were discovered along the border.
STHRC volunteers from across the state and country have placed over 200 barrels filled with water jugs in areas of South Texas. These efforts aimed to address the pressing issue of people dying from heat, thirst, or consuming contaminated water from animal troughs.
Eddie’s lifelong work resulted in saving hundreds of lives. These are only a few of the many examples of activism and advocacy that Eddie did in life.
Eddie’s work has had a significant impact on the migrant community. His legacy will be continued and his life honored by recommitting to the struggle to build a society where, “No Human being is illegal.”
To learn more about his work, you can watch the documentary, “Missing in Brooks County,” which covers the South Texas Human Rights Center and Eddie’s work in Brooks County in more detail.
We request your support by donating to the GoFundMe campaign for the ongoing assistance of his family and now, his services.
We will always remember Eddie as a kind and generous person who fought for the rights of migrants until the end of his life. Public services for Eddie will take place on Saturday, August 10, 1:30 – 4:00 pm at the IBEW Hall, 2301 Saratoga Blvd., Corpus Christi, TX, 78417.
Eddie Canales, ¡Presente!
