Rafael Gonzalez, Esq. is being recognized next month in Tampa at the 36th Annual Tampa Hispanic Heritage Inc. Gala. He is their Man of the Year. I had the chance to speak to him about the honor recently, and he was typically introspective. It had occurred to him that we are getting a bit older, and he joked that it has taken him 40 years to earn this honor. That made me reflect on the passage of time. There are few people I have known for decades and remained in touch with.
How would such a story start? "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away" (Star Wars, 20th Century, 1977), I encountered Rafael Gonzalez. He was a Tampan then and remains so now. He was working in the workers' compensation community and was involved in The Florida Bar Workers' Compensation Section.
As an aside, many will not realize that the Section will celebrate 50 years in 2025. There is a tendency to think that institutions have existed forever, and the contrary realization may be sobering. When I reference this first exposure to Rafael in 1992, it is difficult to imagine that the Section then was about 17 years in existence. My perception at the time was it had existed forever. Another perception was that leadership and mission were a bit stodgy, but I digress.
I am not clear in my recollection of the impetus. Rafael was editing the News and 440, which used to be a glossy-cover magazine produced on paper. The days of PDF ubiquity came for that as it has for so many things. There are those who still love paper, and I celebrate them and their persistence, but so much has evolved to images alone.
I don't recall if Rafael called me or if I called him, but he invited me to guest edit an edition of the 440. It was a rewarding experience. After the issue published, he sent me a framed copy of the cover. That was gracious and thoughtful. In a word, that was Rafael. In the course of many years, he has remained in the orbit of workers' compensation.
He is currently a partner at Cattie & Gonzalez, and a fixture in the world of Social Security inference and interference with workers' compensation. He has been a leader in that orbit and has influenced both education and policy. There is a very narrow population that manages to become distinguished in such an orbit. Rafael has managed instead to become synonymous with that orbit.
But he is not being recognized in such a limited scope. The Tampa Hispanic Heritage is recognizing him for "significant contributions to the Hispanic community" through community service. It notes service "on the USF President's Latin Community Advisory Council" and elsewhere in the community. The Heritage is recognizing an accumulation of positive impacts or efforts, and their effect(s) on a broad community that has a long and storied Florida history.
I was proud to hear of his being honored. Knowing how shy and reserved he is, I chose to write this blog post and spread the word of his recognition. Goodness knows, he will not make any mention of himself on social media. Rafael is simply to shy and reserved to ever mention himself on those platforms. Well, to be fair, you wouldn't have believed I actually penned this if there was not at least some sarcasm. If you are not in at least one Ralphie (a category of Selfies), you have been under a rock or visiting Mars.
Congratulations to Rafael. The Heritage recognition is well-deserved.