It is with great sadness that we remember our former MAPE President Jairo Leiva who died earlier this week. He died the day before what would have been his 65th birthday.

Jairo worked for the County for many years. He started as an Office Assistant at HHS Public Assistance. He moved to Children and Family Services where he worked for several years as an Office Specialist. Jairo was MAPE's Vice President in 2019. He was elected President for the 2020-2021 term. He also served as a steward. Jairo left the County, and MAPE, in the summer of 2021 to take a position with Catholic Charities of the East Bay. He worked there for several years.

Jairo was born in Nicaragua. As a young man, he was part of the Sandinista movement that strived to bring human rights and civil liberties to the people of Nicaragua who were living under a repressive right-wing dictatorship. Jairo was an avid photographer. His art was extraordinary. Jairo was a very positive person. He was always smiling.

We thank him for all he did for his fellow MAPE members and for our community. We send our love to his wife Ellen and all of his family. May his memory be a blessing.