Don Chery was one of the first people I met at River Road when I began coming in 1990. I was aware that he was part of the Central American Task Force…and he learned that I had worked and lived in Central America. I soon found myself part of River Road’s support of the Salvadoran community here in the Greater Washington area.
Don quietly drew people into justice work. Try as I might, I don’t recall Don issuing any demands or instructions. He just moved things along, and we stepped in next to him.
Don organized those wonderful River Road youth trips to Santa Marta, El Salvador. I joined him on two of these. We sat around after dinner to share reflections on what we had learned that day. I heard the wisest, most authentic insights from the 14-year-olds. Some teens were transformed by those trips, moving into careers they did not imagine before arriving in Santa Marta.
What a legacy Don left!
Another event so impressed me. When Don realized that the Latin American Task Network needed to fold its tents after decades of justice work, he just quietly ended the fiestas and the fair-trade sales. He made sure that the remaining funds went to four immigrant organizations we had long supported. He worked with the immigration team to continue important ongoing activities, like helping COTSA.
No fuss, no lament. Just low-key, efficient transition work. I will remember Don as “the man who gently got things done.”
What do our immigration activists remember about Don? Let me quote from the many recollections sent by immigration teams of River Road, UUSJ, and UULM-MD, as well as CoCoDA, when they heard of his passing:
“I will miss his smile… I loved and admired him and his constant social justice work…
Mr. Chery has been our supporter for years… He was such a leader, a humanitarian, straightforward, humble, and empathetic presence at River Road…
A wonderful man in every respect… A beacon for social justice…
A dear man, beloved by all… A kind, humane man, one of the best…
A devastating loss to the world of peace, hope, generosity, and love… A committed, dependable voice and actor for social justice.
A great shipmate… A stalwart of social justice and a true friend…
Don was dedicated to walking alongside his global neighbors with integrity and justice. He helped improve the lives of thousands…
A wonderful man, a great supporter, and a generous host…
One of a kind… A really good guy… We will miss him.”
In solidarity and struggle,
Charlotte Jones Carroll,
Former Board Chair, UUSJ
Former Convener, Immigration Action Team, UUSJ