Letters to the Editor: Jesse Marquez Honored, His Passing Leaves a Void

Jesse Marquez Honored

The death of our friend Jesse Marquez is both a tragic personal loss and tragic loss for the community. I miss him. Jesse was a true local hero. For decades he worked tirelessly to improve the conditions that adversely affect the health and lives of the citizens of Wilmington and San Pedro. He relentlessly challenged the refineries and ports over the air pollution, truck traffic, and neighborhood noise pollution they create. He fought the Port’s endless denials of their off-Port impacts. He frequently responded to the Greenwashing propaganda of the big polluters with deeply researched critiques of their efforts to hide the truth about the “Diesel Death Zone” that harms us all.

He believed all citizens deserve a better environment for living and working. Communities for A Safe Environment, the organization that he created on a shoestring budget, became a respected champion for truth and positive change both locally and nationally. We must honor him by continuing to struggle for environmental justice by holding the polluters responsible for the damage they are causing.

Thank you,

John G. Miller, M.D.

President, San Pedro and Peninsula Homeowners Coalition

Marquez’s Passing Leaves a Void in Battles Over Port Pollution and Community Health

Months after being hit by a motorist while crossing the street, Jesse Marquez recently

succumbed to his injuries.

Jesse’s voice was frequently heard railing against the environmental realities faced by

Wilmington, amplified by the cargo goods movement and oil refineries, suffered from

the California public. His community priorities included the refineries, the terminals, the

trucks, the ships, and the very air we all breathe. He had opinions on most everything

and didn’t hesitate to share them with whoever was within listening range.

To have worked with Jesse and learned from him evokes many emotions. He could be

irritating as hell, seeming to only hear what he wanted to and unwilling to bend or

reconsider. But he could also be inspiring, leading those around him to consider

possibilities and alternatives previously not given any due consideration. He could be a “loose

cannon”, leaving colleagues uncertain about what he might say or whether he would

stay “on message. But he could also be a tireless advocate, refusing to back down or

accept anything less than a serious discussion leading to action to address the issues

he had raised. He could be argumentative, resolute, comical, serious, insightful,

outlandish, and pragmatic – sometimes all within the same meeting or conversation!

His persona was unique, his concern for Wilmington and the port communities

seemingly unending. His daily struggle to make his community better in the face of a

mammoth cargo goods movement and unrelenting oil refining operations leaves an

enduring legacy. With Jesse in the room or at a meeting or on the docket, his concerns

rarely went unspoken or ignored.

I believe we are richer for having known him, even as we acknowledge both his

strengths and imperfections. He pushed us all to find our better selves, to work for a

safer and healthier community, and to not settle too quickly for piecemeal offerings from

terminals, industry, regulatory agencies, or policymakers, calculating that some partial concessions might temper the community’s ongoing outrage.

Loudly, regularly, persistently, and defiantly, Jesse stood up to them all. Though he may

not have always done so in the manner we individually might have chosen, Jesse

fought for every one of us in his own inimitable way. We are collectively the

better for his efforts and stubborn devotion, and he will be sorely missed.

Ed Avol

Professor Emeritus, USC

Chair, Harbor Community Benefit Foundation (HCBF)