It is with great sadness that Chicago Indymedia reports the death Monday of John "Juancho" Donahue, a passionate advocate for the poor, the powerless and the dispossessed. The former priest fought for more than 30 years for the rights and the dignity of people in need, on issues that ranged from immigrant rights to jobs and housing for the homeless. He was 64.

Studs Terkel interviewed Juancho in his most recent book, Hope Dies Last. "Some people who are better off have the luxury of losing hope," Juancho told Studs. "But poor people never lose hope. They can't afford to. That's the only thing they can hold on to... Some people say, 'How can you continue to work with the homeless and the poor?' That's where I get my energy because they never lose hope..."

Juancho leaves behind his beloved wife of 24 years, Icela, and their five children, Belen, Maricela, Lisa, Daniel and Megan, as well as a legacy of tireless community organizing for social and economic justice, and countless friends and comrades who loved him for his sharp wit, his great heart and his unflinching commitment to building a better world. Many of us will be unable to attend Juancho's funeral because we'll be in the streets of Miami opposing the FTAA and the corporate thugs who support it. We believe that's where Juancho would want us to be. We'll carry his spirit of resistance with us.

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