OXNARD — A college registrar, a high school senior, a superintendent, a bank executive, an educational counselor, an associate programs director, a surgeon, and a chief probation officer will be recognized when El Concilio Family Services presents its 28th annual Latino Leadership Awards at a gala on Friday, May 5 at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center.
“The Honorees, each in their own unique way have gone beyond and contributed in a great way to make life better for Latinos and for citizens in the county.” said Yvonne R. Gutierrez, executive director of the Oxnard-based organization. “El Concilio is honored to recognize and to bring the exemplary work of these leaders to the attention of all. “
Awards will go to: Joel Diaz, (a registrar at Oxnard College) Litzy Hernandez (a senior at Hueneme High School), Cesar Morales, Ed.D.(Superintendent at Oxnard School District), Joseph Schroeder (CEO Ventura County Credit Union), Marian Carrasco Nungaray, Ed. D, (Counselor at Ventura College), Venus Tamayo (Associate Director of Student Services at CSUCI), Javier Romero, MD (Surgeon at Ventura County Medical Center, Mark Varela (Chief Ventura County Probation).
Joel Diaz, who’s parents taught him through their words and actions that opportunities await those who are motivated and work hard. He took his parents teachings to heart and became the first in his family of ten children to graduate from a four-year university. After graduating with a Bachelors in Business Administration from Humboldt State University, Mr. Diaz returned home to Ventura County, where he now works as a Registrar for Oxnard College. It is there he guides community college applicants, many like himself, first generation college students. A colleague of Mr. Diaz wrote, “Many people think college is doing well in classes, but there is so much more. Students need to know deadlines, how to fill out forms, and how to advocate for themselves. Joel, carefully and without reservation, serves as someone who does this for his students.” The impact that he has is far-reaching and not only helps student but their families and future generations. Mr. Diaz has elevated the work at the registrar’s office, to do more than register students but to open the door to higher education.
Litzy Hernandez immigrated to Oxnard as a baby from a small Mexican village near Oaxaca. Her parents sacrificed the lives they understood for a chance at the American dream for their little girl. Sixteen years later, she is the embodiment of the DREAMers Act (DACA), signed into law by former President Obama. In June, Ms. Hernandez will graduate from Hueneme High School in the top five of her class with a 4.6 GPA. She dreams of becoming a civil rights/immigration attorney, but her mission to serve immigrant communities are well underway. Dedicated to improving the lives of vulnerable communities, she volunteers with several local social justice organizations, including MICOP, CAUSE, CLUE and Friends of Field Workers. As a student of Hueneme High School, Ms. Hernandez founded Dreamers Without Borders and organized a visit by Congresswoman Julia Brownley to visit the South Oxnard Campus. Last summer, she was one of only twenty-five students invited to participate in the Encampment for Citizenship located in Mississippi. The summer camp was a gathering of immigrant, indigenous and farm worker social justice youth leaders. Ms. Hernandez’s level of involvement and passion to work towards improving the human condition for all people, regardless of race, color or legal status at her young age serves as an inspiration to us all.
Dr. Cesar Morales as son of a migrant farm worker, he intimately understands that the lack of access to literature for low-income, first-generation and immigrant students is a barrier to literacy. Under Dr. Cesar Morales leadership as Superintendent of the Oxnard Elementary School District (OESD), students have collectively read more than 1 million books, an average of 59 books per student. Access to literature was the priority for Dr. Morales when he began his tenure with the district in 2013. He leveraged technology for the 17,000 students in the OESD, with the 1 to 1 iPad deployment. He is committed to providing the OESD student population a 21st-century learning environment with expanded Dual Language Immersion opportunities, new science classrooms, and continues to implement the reconstruction and revitalization of aging school campuses. He received a BA and MA from Loyola Marymount University and a Doctorate in Education from UCLA. He serves as president of the California Association of Latino Superintendents and Administrators (CALSA). He is active in local organizations, including the Ventura County First 5, where he serves as commissioner and the Community Commission for Ventura County. Dr. Morales’s accomplishment is evidence of his deep commitment to serving the diverse needs of all learners.
Joseph Schroeder, President, and CEO of Ventura County Credit Union (VCCU) was outraged by the defrauding of mostly Latino agricultural workers by check cashers and payday loan centers. One story of a mobile check cashing truck distributing counterfeit bills in Ventura County caused Mr. Schroeder to act. In partnership with the World Council of Credit Unions and local farms, VCCU hired a Hispanic Outreach Officer to speak to workers in the fields and production plants to better understanding the struggles facing Latino agricultural workers. Mr. Schroeder was intimately involved in the research, even spending a day working in the fields picking celery. In 2010, under his leadership, the VCCU began offering financial literacy workshops and educational scholarships (in both Spanish and Mixteco) to the most vulnerable community members, something no other leader of a financial institution was doing. VCCU offers financial literacy workshops at various community locations, including senior centers, farms, Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation, the Consulate of Mexico, and on the Cal State University Channel Islands campus geared to first-generation Latino college graduates. “We believe in supporting community-based organizations and efforts that give people a hand-up,” wrote Mr. Schroeder. Through Mr. Schroeder’s vision and leadership, the most vulnerable communities in Ventura County receive an invaluable “hand-up.”
Dr. Marian Carrasco Nungaray encourages students into her Ventura College counseling office to dream beyond any barriers. It is what her parents did for her and her four siblings, who each went on to earn advanced college degrees. As a college counselor of 30 years for the Ventura County College District, she’s positively influenced the lives of countless students who walked through her office doors. One former student recalls her first visit with Dr. Carrasco Nungaray. The student entered her Ventura College office, like so many other first-generation college students; scared, lost and intimidated. “You will get an AA, you will transfer, get a Bachelor’s Degree, and a Master’s Degree,” she told this student. The student followed Dr. Carrasco Nungaray roadmap and is now herself a college counselor. Dr. Carrasco Nungaray’s personal story is a testament to the success of the community college as a gateway for underrepresented students to matriculate to higher education. Born and raised in Oxnard, she transferred to the University of California Berkeley from Oxnard College and went on to receive her Master’s and Doctorate at Cal Lutheran University. “Every day I embrace the opportunity to make a difference in student’s lives,” she wrote. We celebrate the direct contribution she’s made in the lives of students for three decades.
Venus Tamayo is committed to clearing a path to academic success for historically underrepresented and underserved students at California State University Channel Islands (CI). As Associate Director of Student Support Services, she has earned the admiration of colleagues for her leadership overseeing the staff and programmatic efforts of critical programs serving underrepresented communities including, TRIO, University Outreach, Promoting Achievement Through Hope a program designed to recruit and train foster youth, and CI’s Educational Opportunities Program. Ms. Tamayo is a fierce advocate for her students. The work she does in the world is deeply personal. Ms. Tamayo attributes her academic success to the TRIO program she attended the summer before her senior year at Cal Lutheran University. The federally funded program is designed to assist low-income, first-generation students, and students with disabilities. TRIO and other program she now oversees in her capacity as Associate Director of Student Support Services are why, Ms. Tamayo believes she earned a Bachelor of Arts and Master’s degree at Cal Lutheran University, the first in her extended family. “Each student has different struggles through their journey,” wrote Ms. Tamayo. “My goal is to work alongside each of them to find the resources, inner strength, and skills they possess to achieve more than they thought possible.”
Dr. Javier Romero’s leadership as medical co-director of the Ventura County Medical Center (VCMC) Trauma Program and the Chief of the Surgical Department, has elevated VCMC’s status as the leading trauma center in Ventura County. Born in Ecuador, Dr. Romero immigrated to the United Stated as a child and settled in Ontario, California with his family. Dr. Romero graduated from UC Davis Medical School and completed his surgical residency at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Following his residency, he completed a trauma/surgical critical care fellowship at USC and became Board-Certified in Surgery. In 2002, he came to work at VCMC and quickly became an outspoken advocate for quality surgical care for the medically indigent in Ventura County. Dr. Romero is instrumental in VCMS Trauma Center’s educational outreach program established to reduce the need for trauma care. The program educates the community on preventive action steps; including seat belt safety, baby seat safety, motorcycle helmet safety and alcohol screening and referral treatment programs. These programs assist the uninsured and underinsured members of our community. Also, under his leadership, trauma service offers a comprehensive fall prevention program targeting senior citizens. Dr. Javier Romero’s contribution to the health and wellbeing of Ventura County residents is unmeasurable.
Mark Varela, Director/Chief Probation Officer, has served a key leadership role in the implementation and oversight of programs working to reduce the percentage of Latino youth in the local juvenile justice system. These programs include but are not limited to Oxnard/Ventura’s Gang Violence Suppression Programs, Boys and Girls Club Targeted Re-Entry Program, the California Endowment’s Healthy Returns Center, the Juvenile Facilities’ Commitment Services program, and Oxnard’s Evening Reporting Center. Mr. Varela, was instrumental in the establishment of the first Boys and Girls Club facility inside a California juvenile detention center. These programs in combination with interagency collaborations have led to a marked decrease in overall youth arrests and probation violations. Between 2009-2015 alone, Ventura County experienced a 57 percent decline in youth arrests, and a 56 percent drop in arrests of Latino youth. His commitment to the community is rooted in his strong family history to the land and culture of Ventura County. Born in Ventura and raised in the incorporated area of Nyeland Acres, Mr. Varela attended Santa Clara Elementary and Santa Clara High School. He graduated from UCSB and returned “home” to Ventura County to work as a deputy probation officer. “I believe wholeheartedly in redemption,” wrote Mr. Varela. “People can accomplish incredible things if given opportunities to do so. I believe in the power of hope and its ability to change lives.”
El Concilio is a nonprofit community service organization whose primary mission is to provide direct services to the underserved Latino community. Most its clients come from the agricultural and service sector industries. Since its establishment in 1975, El Concilio has grown to serve on average more than 20,000 clients per year. El Concilio has programs in citizenship and immigration services, youth leadership and development, and client assistance.
The 28th annual Latino Leadership Awards will begin with a reception at 6 p.m. Friday, May 5th, 2017 at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center, 800 Hobson Way, Oxnard. Tickets are $175 each or $1,200 for a table of eight (8).
For more information on El Concilio’s programs and services or reservations for the awards gala, visit www.elconciliofs.org or call 805-486-9777.