"Hispanic leader Richard Castro wasn't above a good street fight. Denver police beat him bloody during a 1960s confrontation, and political rivals later shot him and bombed his home. But he emerged from the early struggles of Denver's Hispanic movement - el Movimento - to become one of Colorado's most important political figures. During his ten years as a state representative and, later, as a key ally of Denver mayor Federico Pena, Castro personified the Hispanic community's newfound political power." "The Life and Times of Richard Castro traces Castro's path from the streets of Denver to the chambers of the State Capital. It also chronicles a community's coming of age - an event that transformed politics and society in Colorado and the West."--book jacket.