By JACQI LEYVA-HILL
Special to the NEWS
On Tuesday evening, during a San Benito City Commissioners’ meeting, City of San Benito officials paid tribute to one of their most quietly impactful figures, officially declaring April 7, 2026, as Raul Saldana, Sr. Day.
Mayor Ricardo “Rick” Guerra signed the proclamation honoring the late Saldana, a San Benito native whose leadership in the migrant labor movement transformed the lives of dozens of families across multiple states for decades.
Born on March 25, 1916, to Juan and Gregoria Saldana, Raul Saldana, Sr. built his reputation on integrity and an unrelenting work ethic, according to the proclamation.
As a young foreman under a prominent agricultural landowner, he quickly distinguished himself for excellence and superior workmanship, earning a recommendation to the Hereford Growing and Shippers Association in 1941.
At just 25, he traveled more than 750 miles to oversee packing operations for the potato harvest, restoring quality standards and earning buyers’ confidence. He accepted continued contracts on one condition, that he be allowed to recruit workers from San Benito and that all families be provided with safe, adequate housing.
Beginning in 1942, Saldana recruited approximately 20 San Benito families, a number that grew to nearly 60 over time, creating sustained employment across Texas, Alabama, Colorado, and New Mexico. He extended seasonal work cycles from a few weeks to as long as six months, significantly improving economic stability for countless families.
“He made it possible for people to survive when they might not otherwise have found work,” said his oldest son, Raul Saldana, Jr. “He made it possible for so many to feed their families. He always helped anyone he could and made sure we learned that helping others was the most satisfying thing a human can do.”
To his grandchildren, Saldana was more than a community pillar — he was the family’s anchor.
“He was a perfectionist who believed your name is in everything you do,” recalled grandson Ray Saldana. “At every celebration or holiday, he would quietly stand, and we all gave him the respect he deserved as our patriarch. Nobody would talk or laugh. We absorbed everything he had to say.”
Saldana continued his work until retiring in the early 1970s. He died on May 31, 2003, in San Benito.
The proclamation was the result of a family-driven effort. Ray Saldana took the lead, working alongside cousin Willie Rosales to bring the recognition to fruition. “We, as a family, took the lead after a lengthy talk about the memories we had of our grandparents,” Ray said.
The values Raul Saldana, Sr., instilled remain his most enduring legacy — honesty, dedication, humility, service to those less fortunate, and, above all, family, according to the Saldanas.
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