Roberto Maestas at Mayor Mike McGinn's victory party last year.

El Centro de la Raza founder Roberto Maestas, a longtime civil-rights leader in Seattle's Latino community, died this morning after a battle with cancer. In a statement, Mayor Mike McGinn---of whom Maestas was an early and outspoken supporter---said that the city will lower its flags to half-mast today to mourn Maestas' passing. He was 72.