WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — A tribute celebration was held Sunday for Valentin Barajas, a prominent Polk County activist and advocate for migrant farm workers.

Barajas, 70, died August 12 of complications from a second stroke, according to nephew Daniel Barajas.

His brother, Hilario Barajas, said Valentin was known for his lifetime of activism. Born in Texas and deported to Mexico with their siblings and parents during “Operation Wetback,” the two brothers returned in his early teens to work as migrant farm workers.

"He picked everything. Tomatoes, onions, carrots in Texas. Then we went up to all the states, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, to pick apples. He picked apples for many, many years. He still was picking apples last year,” Hilario Barajas recalled.

Hilario Barajas said his brother suffered heatstroke last year while picking apples, which forced him into retirement and led to a decline in his health.

In 1971, the brothers joined the United Farm Workers union. They were Cesar Chavez’s security detail when the famed farm workers union organizer came to Florida.

“This is the negotiating table. That’s me right there, and that’s Valentin on the other side of the table,” Hilario Barajas explained as he showed off a picture.

Together, the brothers helped the union negotiate a historic contract with Coca-Cola Co. Minute Maid citrus groves, which provided farm workers with health insurance and a pension.

“It was the biggest step that farm workers have ever taken in the state of Florida to improve their conditions,” said Kenny Snodgrass, who worked with them to administer the contract. 

Valentin Barajas went on to become field director of the United Farm Workers office in Apopka in the mid-1970s.  

Later in life, he became a mentor to the organization Young American Dreamers, run by his nephew, Daniel. He helped the group push for sidewalks after two Lakeland Tenoroc High School students were hit and killed while walking to school.

“Because of him helping us, Polk County has now enacted a sidewalk advisory committee where the community can now come forward and ask about sidewalks for their neighborhoods. He was the one who helped us with that,” Daniel Barajas said.

Valentin Barajas also donated his poll worker salary to the organization, so it could fight for another initiative: immigration reform.

“We honor him through action, ensuring that his legacy continues, ensuring that people know his story. He didn’t share his story. So now, that’s our responsibility, because there are so many unsung heroes, and we got to give credit where credit is due,” Daniel Barajas said.

Valentin Barajas also assisted people in getting their voting rights restored and helped others register to vote and get to the polls.

A devout Catholic, he was one of the founding members of the first all-Hispanic Knights of Columbus Council in Polk County at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Wahneta.

He is survived by his wife, five children, and nine grandchildren.