South Phoenix American Legion post celebrates 80 years of service and inclusion

For eight decades, American Legion Post 41 has stood as a pillar in south Phoenix, serving veterans and the community with unwavering dedication.

“We serve this community. We do events for kids, we do Halloween, we do Christmas, we do Easter, we raise food and clothing for veterans who are homeless,” said Commander Loui Olivas.

Post 41 was born out of adversity in 1945 after two Mexican American veterans, Tony Soza and Ray Martinez, returned home from World War II and faced discrimination at other legion posts. Rather than accept rejection, they decided to create their own inclusive space…

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