10/03/09: HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH: Community Servant Juan Texidor

“This is classic salsa down here. This is romantic. Many boleros and boleros too,” said Buffalo’s Juan Texidor pointing to his extensive music collection. Texidor loves Latin music almost as much as he loves the Buffalo’s Hispanic community. The disc jockey is the voice of WBBF’s “Ecos Boricanos” classic salsa show.
“Fifty-eight years ago I came here to Buffalo. 58 years ago,” he said with a chuckle.
The Puerto Rican native moved to Queen City in 1951 to work at the Ford Plant., but Texidor says his life’s work lives through his community service.
“My joy is to help the community. Whenever they need me and I can help I go and help,” said Texidor. He retired from Ford in the mid 1980’s and has volunteered with civic groups ever since. Texidor held offices with the Puerto Rican Society for Mutual Help, The Puerto Rican American Community Association and Hispanic United of Buffalo. This year Hispanic United is honoring Texidor’s community service. He says the organization has been the primary force working to building Buffalo’s Latino community.
“That center is helping the community a lot. Last year they helped 18,000 people,” smiled Texidor. He says he doesn’t know what would happen if the organization ever left Buffalo.
A devoted Niagara District resident, Texidor says he’ll never leave Buffalo. But he has watched many Latinos excel and then exit the Queen City.
“They got their education here. They progress over here. Then they move out over here. Some of them don’t care about the community anymore,” said the Hispanic sage.
Texidor says he cares for his 300 plus records the same way he watches over his community.
“I don’t use this anymore,’ he said pointing to the vinyl records. “What I do with this is, pass it to CD,” he said showing he’s not afraid to change.
The radio DJ says now more than ever it’s important to preserve Western New York’s Hispanic traditions and pass it one to the next generation.
“We’ve been progressing slow, but we’re progressing,” said Texidor with a smile.