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Mission

The Latinx Resource Center supports students of Latin American descent throughout their journey at SDSU to succeed and thrive academically, socially, and holistically. We are rooted in Latinx culture, with commitments to intersectionality, equity, and social and racial justice. 

We cultivate a culturally affirming, inclusive, and welcoming space where Latinx students can show up authentically, be heard in the fullness of their voices, and be seen for the complexity of their diverse experiences.

Vision

The Latinx Resource Center envisions a vibrant, culturally rooted community at SDSU for students of Latin American descent; a space where their identities can be sources of strength, where they can develop their social and political consciousness, and develop as leaders with commitments to social and racial justice. 

We envision a Center where students will be supported, centered, and affirmed as holders and creators of knowledge, where our perspectives as Latinx peoples matter, and where first-generation and historically marginalized students can leverage their own cultural wealth, and access the tools, fem/mentorship, and skills that they need to become fluent and successful across contexts. 

We envision a Center that supports students fully, recognizing that our lives and experiences are intersectional, complex, and layered.

Finally, we envision a Center that supports students in their development as critically conscious activists, organizers, mobilizers, and leaders, aware of the complexity of the world around them, and the challenges facing our world in the future. We believe in developing community-centered scholars who will continue their journeys beyond SDSU, engaging and confronting the world as it is, and transforming it as it could be.

  • Academic Success
  • Identity Exploration and Formation
  • Mental Health & Wellness
  • Social and Racial Justice

Comunidad (Community). At the LRC, our focus is on building community, and fostering well-being across a powerful, diverse collective. We strive to think beyond the individual self, reflecting on the wellbeing of our community as a whole; on how we can give back; on how we can support others now and after graduation; on the responsibilities and connections we have to those not just at SDSU, but beyond campus as well. As a community, a colectivo, we are strong together.

Colaboracion (Collaboration). At the LRC, we work together. We recognize that collaboration, among ourselves, and with those beyond our immediate community, and beyond campus, is essential to our collective progress. We recognize that all movements do, and must, include many voices, and that we can find intersubjectivity, and progress, even if we do not always fully agree. Through collaboration, we humanize one another, and move forward.

Conocimientos (knowledge). At the LRC, knowledge and learning matter. We know, following on the history of our community movements, that education is our stand. Academics can empower us. Mastering disciplinary knowledge can allow us room to challenge inequities. Pushing our intellectual boundaries in institutional contexts creates space for us to transform institutions with ours and our communities’ wisdom and knowledge. We are at SDSU to learn, and our learning will transform the world.

Confianza (Trust). At the LRC, our relationships are founded on trust; to one another, and to our communities as a whole. Though we are diverse in our views, backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, we can build trust in our shared commitments and values. We will hold ourselves accountable, and ensure that everything we do is rooted in a desire to best serve our communities and grow together. We will challenge each other to be our best selves, and call one another in with respect and grace. Trust gives our community an unshakeable foundation.

Conciencia (Consciousness).  At the LRC, justice matters. We are our ancestors' wildest dreams; achieving through higher education what generations before us were excluded from, fought for, and dispossessed of. Carrying this history with us always, social and racial justice is at the heart of what we do. Everything we do must advance a more equitable, humanizing world. We are guided by our critical consciousness; our awareness that a better world is possible. We see the world as it is, and are imagining the world as it might be.

Conexiones (Relationship Building). At the LRC, we are a diverse community, connected through mutual respect and love. We know that each of us arrives to every space we inhabit with multiple, intersectional identities; growing from different lived experiences, commitments, and unique points of view. It is through embracing these differences that we, as a collective, learn and grow. When we are allowed to show up authentically, each person’s uniqueness and humanity adds to our own. You are welcomed as you are!

 

2023-2024 LRC Staff

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Dr. Renzo Lara
Latinx Resource Center Director
He/Him/His
[email protected]

Dr. Renzo Lara was born in San Diego, California and raised in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. At the age of 10, he immigrated to the United States with his mother and has called Chula Vista, California his home. Dr. Lara's transborder identity contributes to his passion for service towards his comunidad. Additionally, Dr. Lara is a first generation college student and has overcome various assimilation circumstances as well as collegial barriers. Dr. Lara’s cultural upbringing and life experiences has led to his strong devotion towards assisting Latinx/e students and family members achieve holistic success. Dr. Lara transferred from Southwestern College and earned his B.A., M.A., and Ed.D. from San Diego State University. Dr. Lara has over a 12 of experience in: Educational programming, research and assessment, inclusive excellence curriculum design, non-profit community work and coalition building. In addition, Dr. Lara is passionate about social and racial justice as well equity work for underrepresented students and marginalized students of color. Dr. Lara was also recently elected as Executive Director of the Encuentros Leadership Organization (Non-profit organization focusing on the educational advancement of young Latino males) and he had the great honor of being named as one of the Top 50 Latino Leaders of Influence of 2022 by the San Diego Business Journal. Lastly, Dr. Lara likes to spend quality time with his three children and partner and loves to engage in dialogues related to Star Wars, Sci-fi, and international soccer (Futbol).

 

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Erik Esqueda Sánchez, M.Ed. 
Latinx Resource Center Assistant Director
Any Pronouns
[email protected]

Erik Esqueda Sánchez (any pronouns) joins us from the 805 in Oxnard, CA with skills and education built at Rutgers University-New Brunswick in New Jersey for their Master's in Education in College Student Affairs, CSU Channel Islands with a Bachelor’s in Organizational Communication, and Santiago Canyon College with an Associate’s in Communication Studies. They are thrilled to be back in their second home here in San Diego, having previously been an active member of the queer and Latinx communities as a former student at SDSU. They bring a wealth of knowledge from their experiences as a student in TRiO Upward Bound and Student Support Services, serving in undergraduate and graduate roles working in diversity and social justice-based campus centers, coordinating summer college-access programs for high school students of color, and bringing in their experiences as a student leader in M.E.Ch.A. and Queer Student Alliance. Erik believes in the power of community building, leadership development, and cross-cultural collaborations as tools to transform and reimagine the college experience for students and as a way to leave a positive impact in our communities after graduation. In their role, Erik leads the LRC's programming initiatives with our team of Programming Graduate Assistants, serves as our Community Care Advisor supporting the academic success of our first and second-year Latine students, and actively supports the advancement of resources for Latine students across SDSU via campus partnerships. Some of Erik’s interests include hiking and being in nature, watching anime (favorite is Sailor Moon!), learning and supporting local and national human rights movements, and keeping a “lift as you climb” mentality when it comes to elevating the next generation of leaders.

 

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Dr. Anthony Villareal
Faculty Scholar
He/Him/His
[email protected]

Dr. Anthony Villarreal was born in Compton, CA, but grew up most of his life in Woodburn, Oregon. His work is driven by his personal journey as the eldest son of immigrants from Nayarit, Mexico, and as a former low-income, first-generation college student in a majority agricultural Latinx community. His professional background includes nearly two decades of experience as a bicultural/bilingual (Spanish) educator serving within minority-serving institutions as a faculty counselor at local community colleges; in student affairs, college outreach and admissions at four-year universities; and as an educational leader in diverse K-12 schools in California and Oregon. His college teaching experience spans across both the two- and four-year sectors, including required SDSU courses to assist students transitioning from high school to college, transfer students, Weber Honors program, and teaching graduate-level research methods in the EdD Community College Leadership program. He has also worked closely with faculty to develop, assess, and implement university-wide curriculum at SDSU.
His research employs asset-based perspectives and centers Latinx students' community cultural wealth in college access/completion and includes collaborations to implement several National Science Foundation-funded projects with several SDSU research institutes and initiatives, including the Mathematics Educators Engaging English Learners in Discussion (MELd). He is a published scholar who regularly presents his work at prominent national conferences (i.e., ASHE, AAHHE, NASPA, SACNAS). He earned a PhD in Education from Claremont Graduate University, master's degree in Counseling from Lewis and Clark College, and a bachelor's degree from Portland State University. He enjoys spending quality time with his wife and four kids exploring coffee shops, hiking, traveling, and attending social events.

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Isabel Torres
Latinx Resource Center Assistant Coordinator 
She/Her/Ella
[email protected]

Isabel Torres is a first generation Mexicana, born in Tijuana, Baja California and raised in San Ysidro, California. Isabel transferred from Southwestern College and earned her B.A. in Sociology from California State University San Marcos(CSUSM). After earning her B.A., Isabel continued to serve Latinx students by helping create a sense of community and familismo at the Latinx Center at CSUSM. After two years of working with college students, and having the opportunity to work with Encuentros Leadership, a non-profit organization which focuses on the educational advancement of young Latino males, Isabel realized she wanted to pursue a career in Student Affairs. Isabel then applied to the Post Secondary Education Leadership with a focus in Student Affairs (PELSA) graduate program at San Diego State University, and is currently wrapping up her final year in graduate school. Lastly, Isabel enjoys spending quality time with her family and four dogs.

 

 

Graduate Assistants

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Ana Ruth Leon

(She/Her/Hers/Ella)

Hola todes! My name is Ana Ruth Leon (She/Her/Ella). I am currently in my 3rd year of the Ed.S. School Psychology Program. I have an M.S. in Counseling and an M.A. in Education. I was born and raised in North County San Diego and hope to better serve my community by providing and advocating for equitable resources to our K-12 students in Special Education and those categorized as Special Populations. I love education and am always ready to learn something new! I am incredible happy to be joining the LRC team and looking forward to growing and learning with/from everyone. Thank you!

 

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Jacky Vázquez Suástegui

(Any Pronouns)

¡Hola, hola! My name is Jacky (any pronouns) I am a proud Queer Latina, and first-generation student. I'm a SDSU alumni with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Latin American Studies. Right now, I’m proud to continue my journey as a Graduate student in the Master’s of Arts program in Latin American Studies. My academic journey has been full of commitment to the empowerment and recognition of the Latinx community in Mexico and the U.S.


I’m always happy to create spaces where students can be supported and affirmed. My intent is to celebrate and elevate the rich diversity of the Latinx community, including different sexual orientations, gender identities, and racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. I can’t wait to support each other and grow together!

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Carlos Alberto Pineda Domínguez

(He/Him/El)

Hola a todes!!!! My name is Carlos Pineda. I am currently studying my second Master’s degree in Dual Language Education, Literacy and Social Justice here at SDSU, I also have a Master’s degree in Educational Technology and a Bachelor's in Culinary Arts. Both teaching (above all learning from my student-teachers :3 ) and latinx culture are my passions. I acknowledge fun is the bedrock for sustainable and long-lasting  learning while recognizing empathy and kindness make up the key for being always present in the heart of student-teachers :3

I am glad and more than thankful for being part of such an incredible familia, la familia de nuestra casita, el Latinx Resource Center.

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Elisa Mendez-Pintado

(She/Her/Hers/Ella)

Hola Todes! My name is Elisa Mendez-Pintado (she/her/ella) and I am a second year Masters student in the School Psychology Program. I have a Bachelors degree in Psychology also from SDSU and my hope is to become a bilingual School Psychologist. I am passionate about mentoring and always welcome new students seeking guidance or advice. When I am not at the LRC I enjoy dancing Ballet Folklorico and spending time with my 4 year old Labrador, Coco.
 

 

 

 

 

 

Peer Mentors

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Jesus Vazquez Ramos 

(He/Him/El)

Jesus was born in San Diego, California but grew up most of his childhood in Tecate, Baja California. He moved with his family to the United States and made a life here in San Diego, learning a new language from scratch and becoming fluent alongside his older sister. To challenge himself he decided to test out "English as a second language" (ESL) and joined the AVID Class in High School where he started his journey toward going to college in order to achieve his dream of working for a company like Walt Disney, Universal, or Warner Brothers in the design for props. He enrolled at San Diego State University as a Mechanical Engineer and joined the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP). As a sophomore, he became a student leader where he could help residents like him to get used to the college lifestyle as a First-Gen himself. The position made him realize that he no longer wanted to be an Engineer but would rather work in a position where he would talk to people and yet follow his dream of working in Film/entertainment as a Business Manager. In his junior year, he got a job in the Music building at SDSU as a Stage manager and decided to also work with the Latinx Resource Center as a Peer Mentor to help more students who were in the same position as him in order to achieve their dreams.

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Sharon Sabino

(She/Her/Hers/Ella)

Hola todes! My name is Sharon Sabino Galicia (she/her/ella), and I am a fourth year student at SDSU. I am majoring in Chicana and Chicano Studies with a minor in Portuguese. I hope to be an ethnic studies educator in the future. Apart from being a peer mentor for the Latinx Resource Center, I am currently involved in Movimiento Estudantil Chicanx de Aztlán (MECHA de SDSU), and the HSI Student Advisory Board! I am also a proud DEBER (Developing Effective Bilingual Educators with Resources) Scholar. When I am not studying or at school, I love to do a variety of things. I love music in every way; from listening to music, to playing instruments, to discovering music to vibe/dance to. I also enjoy watching novelas and playing tennis! Finally, I love spending time with my family and friends. Overall, I am looking forward to strengthening our comunidad and excited to create meaningful relationships with others!

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Karla Chaj-Perez

(She/Her/Hers/Ella)

Hey y'all! I'm Karla Chaj-Perez (she/her). I'm a second year majoring in criminal justice with a minor in theatre. I am very passionate about music and the arts! My involvements outside of the LRC include playing guitar/singing in a mariachi, M.E.Ch.A. and dancing ballet folklorico. Other hobbies also include going to the gym, watching anime, swimming, and exploring new restaurants. Working at the LRC, I am happy to be apart of a team that celebrates Latine culture and that works endlessly to provide a safe space for students of all backgrounds. Hope you stop by! <3

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Vanessa Zavala

(She/Her/Hers/Ella)

Hi everyone! My name is Vanessa Zavala and I am going into my fourth year. I was born and raised in San Diego and graduated from Patrick Henry High School. I am majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies with disciplines in Art, Spanish, and Chicanx Studies. Besides the Latinx Resource Center, I am also involved in MEChA de SDSU and Ballet Folklorico Xochipilli de SDSU. In my free time, I enjoy watching YouTube, hanging out with my sister and the rest of my family, crafting, drawing, singing, and performing with my folklorico group. I am so excited to be spending another year with the LRC and can’t wait to see what other amazing things we do and how we collaborate across centers. Here’s to an amazing year!

 

 

 

Peer Navigators

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Patricio Rodriguez-Ramirez 

(He/Him/El)

Ciao a tutti! My name is Patricio Rodriguez-Ramirez and I am a first generation student at SDSU. I am currently in my fourth year majoring in Psychology with a minor in Public Health. I am hoping to pursue my PhD in clinical psychology si Dios quíera and if they give me a good financial aid package ahhh. I was born and raised in sunny San Diego. Working at the Latinx Resource Center has made me realize that united we are powerful. Here at the LRC we celebrate all cultures, Latine or not everybody is welcome to the party.

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Valeria Bartolome 

(She/Her/Hers/Ella)

Hey!! My name is Valeria Bartolome (she/her/ella), and I am a fourth-year student at SDSU. I was born and raised in San Diego. I am majoring in Psychology and minoring in Latin American Studies. My plans after I finish undergrad, is to go to law school and become a lawyer specializing in immigration or in another field. When I’m not studying or at school, I love to go to bookstores and read books, sit in coffee shops around the city, and listen to music. I’m so excited to work with the LRC and make meaningful connections with other Latinx students along the way.

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Jazmine Rayo Galicia

(She/Her/Hers/Ella)

Hola Hola! My name is Jazmine (She/her/Ella) and I'm an incoming third year here at SDSU. My major is Interior Architecture. I am the first born in my family and a first-generation student. Some of my hobbies include reading, learning to cook vegan/vegetarian foods, and watching rom-coms or superhero movies. I hope to one day be an architect that helps rebuild homes that have been affected by natural disasters. I hope to one day travel the world, but until that day comes I am happy to make the LRC my home. I am excited to work along side the rest of the members in our goal to help Latinx students navigate their way through SDSU.