ANTONITO — The Sociedad Protección Mutua de Trabajadores Unidos (SPMDTU) held its Biennial Get-together/Picnic in their headquarters building in Antonito on Saturday, June 3. At the gathering three new members from the San Luis Valley were installed. They included: Martin A. Gonzales, a judge of 12th District Court in Colorado from Alamosa; Marta Medina, the postmistress in Antonito, from La Jara and Donald L. Chavez, owner Chavez Southwest Market of Antonito.

The gathering included members from the Concilios Locales of Nambé, NM, Ranchos de Taos, NM, Denver, Antonito, Alamosa and Chama, Colorado.  The members heard a report from the Grants Committee, which reported that the SPMDTU has received grants from the Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area Fund of Alamosa and the Colorado State Historical Fund of Denver.  These funds are being used to develop architectural and construction documents for the restoration SPMDTU building in Antonito built in 1925.

The SPMDTU is the oldest Hispanic civil rights organization in United States.  It was founded in Antonito in 1900 by Celdonio Mondragón and six others to fight discrimination in the fields, the mining industry, and the railroads and to defend their property rights. 

Caption: From left are 12th Judicial District Judge Martin A. Gonzales from Alamosa, Antonito Postmistress Marta Medina from La Jara and Donald L. Chavez, owner of Chavez Southwest Market of Antonito. Courtesy photo