The Raza Press and Media Association would like to express great sadness at the passing of John Ross yesterday, January 17th in Michoacán, Mexico. The RPMA sends a heartfelt condolence to all of his family, friends, and colleagues that had the opportunity to know this lifetime journalist, artist, and activist.
For over six decades, John had been involved in community organizing, anti-war protests against Vietnam, Grenada, Iraq and Afghanistan, and was a self-described “troublemaker”. He traveled back and forth from the United States and Mexico, making presentations at forums, conferences and at rallies. He was a committed revolutionary media worker. Within his humble means, John reported and wrote about the political realities in Mexico, where he spent the last 25 years of his life.
John Ross wrote dozens of poetry books, and wrote articles for El Financiero, La Jornada, The Nation, The Progressive, Counterpunch, San Francisco Bay Guardian and the Narco News Bulletin, among many others. He also wrote several books including; El Monstruo,pavor y redención en la ciudad de México (2009). John closely followed the Zapatista Army for National Liberation (EZLN) and wrote the seminal trilogy: ¡Zapatistas! Construyendo otro mundo posible (2006), La guerra contra el olvido (2002), Rebelión desde las raíces (1995). These examples only scratch the surface of his work.
In the past, the RPMA communicated with Compañero John requesting permission to publish some of his articles in the Guerrillera/os de la Pluma. He immediately responded with a firm approval, indicating that “we could use his work to further our aim of moving forward the struggle for the liberation of all oppressed people”
There are a handful of media activist-journalists in this past half a century that have contributed the amount of writings from the trenches of struggle. John is one them, and very few can compare both in the quantity and quality of his authentic “on the ground” coverage and reporting.
John Ross’s remains will be cremated and laid to rest in his beloved Michoacán next Tuesday.
John Ross, Presente!
RPMA Editorial Board
*Photo Credit: R.Aguirre/Borderzine.com