Carlos Vega, Holyoke Community Leader, Dies at 61

Carlos Vega, the father of Holyoke City Councilor Aaron Vega, died at his home Thursday.  at the age of 61. The community leader had been fighting a long battle with brain cancer.   Vega is described by friends and family as a leader in Holyoke's latino community for more than forty years. He came here from Ecuador in 1955 and went on to attend Holyoke Community College and UMASS. He later founded and served  as the Executive Director of the community action program,  Nueva Esperanza where he  helped develop affordable apartments in the city and commercial spaces for small businesses.  Vega served on the boards of most of the city's progressive organizations in and was considered a coalition builder throughout the region. last he created the Carlos Vega collection of latino history in holyoke, housed at the city's Wisteria Hurst Museum.