The South Coast just lost another well known advocate. Charles Carmo who was one of the local activists who inspired others to get involved in social justice issues long before anyone heard of the term. Locally, it's because of people like Charlie Carmo that we have a Minority Action Committee. In chatting with John "Buddy" Andrade, Charlie was one of the early revolutionary's, somewhat like today's Sanders and Trump insurgence. Without folks like Charlie Carmo, change comes at turtle speed, if at all. With the moniker of protester, Charlie became a galvanized voice for the local Cape Verdean Community and Latinos.

I remember Charlie calling me, back about 3 years ago, to complain that the New Bedford City Councilors were talking about giving themselves a pay raise that would put them in equity with other cities the same size. This crossed Charlie's hair, so he organized a petition drive to collect signatures for a city-wide vote! If he got the needed signatures, and the question was placed on the ballot, it would have asked city residents to vote up or down on a 44% pay raise.

He told me that a lot of people were reluctant to sign the petition fearing councilors they knew would retaliate in some way! However, he felt if people had the chance to vote on this in the privacy of a booth, most would have voted it down. But it never got to that point because he needed to collect 6,700 signatures from registered city voters, and have them all certified before the question to appear on the local ballot. He fell short of the needed number of signatures.

From civil rights and police issues to social justice and fighting for local minority contractors to get work, Charlie Carmo will be remembered as someone who tried to make a difference for people of color. He's now in a place where there is no such struggle. RIP, Charlie.

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