by Jeff Thom
On June 2, 2000, Ysidro Urena died in a Sacramento nursing facility after fighting a long illness that impaired his mobility and his speech, but never his mind and spirit. I am sure that those of you who knew Cid will agree with me that it would be hard to find a more tenacious advocate for the rights of blind and visually impaired people.
Cid was born on May 15, 1929, in Etiwanda, Calif. He attended the California School for the Blind, and many have reported on his daring feats of misbehavior, which are the stuff of which legends are made. In 1950, after attending junior college, Cid became an x-ray technician for University of California Cowell Hospital in Berkeley. He thoroughly enjoyed working in that field, but automation and other factors required him to make a career change after almost 15 years.
Thus, in 1963, Cid obtained employment with the California Industries for the Blind (CIB), a sheltered workshop facility. During his years as an x-ray technician, Cid had managed to find plenty of time to fight for the betterment of people who were blind and visually impaired. However, his advocacy efforts began in earnest right from the start of his association with CIB. During his first day on the job he was elected union steward, and eventually became the union president. In this capacity, Cid fought tirelessly in the legislature to obtain minimum wages for his co-workers. By the time he left this position in 1969, not only had minimum wages been secured, but health insurance and other benefits were also obtained.
In 1969, Cid began a career as a vending facility operator, first in northern California and then in southern California. He worked as a vendor for approximately 10 years, and during this time he not only fought successfully for a number of changes in California’s vending facility program, but also lobbied the state legislature on a number of issues for the California Council of the Blind.
In 1978, Cid moved to Seattle where he ran the Client Assistance Program for that area. The fondness with which so many Washingtonians speak of Cid and his efforts are an indication of the high degree of excellence with which he performed this job. In 1984, Cid returned to California in order to serve as the legislative advocate for the California Council of the Blind. He served in this capacity until the end of the 1998 legislative session.
Cid achieved his legislative accomplishments in a truly inimitable style. He never pretended to be an outstanding writer or even to be the foremost expert on many of the issues with which he dealt. On the other hand, he was quick to grasp the essence of any problem he was attempting to solve, and he had an uncanny ability, not only to make people understand his point of view, but to enable them to empathize with us in solving the problems we face on a daily basis. His flamboyance as a lobbyist is illustrated by an event that occurred during the early 1970s. At a state legislative hearing in which the topic under discussion was the wages authorized by the state to CIB workers, Cid waved a hotpad in the air that was produced at CIB as he proceeded to blast the bureaucrats for permitting inadequate wages to be paid to the producers of such fine products.
Perhaps his greatest strength was his personal warmth. He knew the value of getting to know everyone from the most important legislator to those in the secretarial pool, and he cultivated these acquaintances through his sincere love for people.
Cid enjoyed a number of leisure pursuits with the same fervor that he put into his advocacy efforts. He loved a wide variety of music, from classical to mariachi bands to traditional jazz. He was a tremendous sport fan, and even during his long illness he kept close track of his beloved UCLA Bruins. Cid was also fond of the outdoors. My wife and I will never forget the day that Cid and I ferociously paddled our two rafts, which were tied together, straight toward a rather large waterfall which would have easily capsized our boats.
Cid is survived by two brothers, Manuel and Frank, two sisters, Lupe and Hortencia, and a son, Frank Peter. Those of us privileged to have known Cid’s love for life and his compassion for those whom he perceived to be less fortunate than he, will sorely miss him. His life can, however, be an inspiration to all of us.