October 2, 2020
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, Kobre & Kim will highlight and reflect on the unique contributions made by Latinx individuals both inside and outside of the legal industry. Today, we honor late lawyer and civil rights advocate Rafael (Ralph) Carlos Estrada, who is the great-grandfather of current Kobre & Kim employee Jorge Estrada.
As a young man, Rafael Estrada began his career as a teacher after graduating from Colorado State University. He became active in his native state of Arizona as an interpreter for the Arizona Cotton Growers Association and then eventually in local Arizona politics, where he co-founded clubs dedicated to people of Latin American descent.
Mr. Estrada continued to pursue his passion for serving those in his community by earning his law degree and becoming even more involved in public service and the push for civil rights for Hispanic Americans. His career as an attorney included winning several cases in Arizona, California and Texas for Mexican Americans that served as landmark victories for civil rights in the United States. Mr. Estrada also later served as the mission director for the Agency for International Development in Nicaragua under President John F. Kennedy.
After a long and accomplished career promoting civil rights, Mr. Estrada passed away in 1979. His posthumous honors include inductions into the Maricopa County Bar Hall of Fame and being featured in the Tempe History Museum, both in Arizona.