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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!

 

2024-2025 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, M.A.
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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Melissa Hernandez

(She/Her/Hers/Ella)

Melissa Hernandez is a first-generation Mexican, born and raised in North County San Diego. Melissa graduated with her B.A in Human Development from CSUSM and is now pursuing higher education getting her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy at SDSU. Melissa also enjoys volunteering in her community through non-profit programs and connecting community to resources. On Melissa's free time, she enjoys going to the beach, hanging out with friends and family, and visiting new coffee shops. 

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Jacky Vázquez Suástegui

(Any Pronouns)

¡Hola, hola! My name is Jacky 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. I’m always happy to create spaces where students can be supported and affirmed through fun, educational and engaging programs! My intent is to celebrate and elevate the rich diversity of the Latinx community, including different sexual orientations, gender identities, racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. I can’t wait to support each other and learn together!  One thing about me is that I love cats! I have many cats in different colors and sizes! 

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Alex Mena

(He/Him/El)

Hello everyone, my name is Alex Mena. I am in my second year in my master's program studying Emergency Management. One of my favorite activities to do is water sports. I am originally from San Francisco, a city by the bay. I did my undergraduate studies in Los Angeles, earning a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. I spent the 2024 summer working in Madrid, Spain, exploring other cities such as Barcelona, Málaga, Valencia, and Ibiza. My background is working in the sports industry for major league teams such as Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, and National Football League. I aspire to work in emergency management or safety for sports complexes or the government. 

 

 

 

 

Peer Mentors

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Vanessa Zavala 

(She/Her/Hers/Ella)

Hola everyone! My name is Vanessa Zavala. I was born and raised in San Diego and graduated from Patrick Henry High School. I am currently in my fifth year at SDSU and in my third year of working for the Latinx Resource Center. Aside from the LRC, I am also involved with MEChA de SDSU and Ballet Folklórico Xochipilli de SDSU, where I am historian. Some of my hobbies include dancing folklórico, singing, crafting, and drawing. In my free time I love spending time with my sister and the rest of my family, hanging with my friends, listening to music, and seeing what funny stuff is on Youtube and Instagram. I am so excited to see what we have in store this year and how we collaborate across centers. Here’s to another amazing year!

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Isabel Sandoval

(She/Her/Hers/Ella)

Hola! <3 My name is Isabel Sandoval(she/her/ella), pero you can call me Isa. I am a third year student majoring in Psychology with minors in Interdisciplinary Studies and Counseling & Social Change. I was born and raised in the East Bay (San Leandro, CA). On campus, I serve as a Resident Advisor and as a Research Assistant in the Motivation and Social Identity Lab. Outside of school, you can always catch me at a concert or enjoying yummy food with loved ones. It is my first year at the LRC and I am so excited to become more involved with our beautiful Latine community. See you soon :)

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Karla Chaj-Perez

(She/Her/Hers/Ella)

Hey y'all! I'm Karla Chaj-Perez (she/her). I'm a thrid year majoring in criminal justice with a minor in theatre. I was born and raised in West LA where I was able to grow surrounded by my Guatemalan-American community. I carry my culture with me proudly and I try to visit Guatemala whenever I can. My involvements outside of the LRC include being a part of M.E.Ch.A. (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Atzlan) and dancing with Ballet Folklorico Xoxhipilli de SDSU. I am very passionate about music and the arts. I like making time in my week to play guitar and enjoy going to the gym, watching anime, listening to music 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

 

Peer Navigators

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Jazmine Rayo Galicia

(She/Her/Hers/Ella)

Hola Hola! My name is Jazmine Rayo Galicia (she/her/ella). I am currently a fourth year here at SDSU, pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Interior Architecture. I aspire to one day become an architect dedicated to rebuilding homes and communities impacted by natural disasters. But until that day comes, I am happy being part of the LRC’s community, where we strive to create a safe and supportive environment for Latinx students here at SDSU. Throughout my involvement with the LRC, I not only learn to embrace my own cultural heritage, but also learn and celebrate the diverse cultural backgrounds of all our students. In my free time I like going out with friends, visiting museums, baking, and cozying up at home to watch romantic comedies.

 

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Patricio Rodriguez-Ramirez

(He/Him/El)

Hello everyone! My name is Patricio Rodriguez-Ramirez and I am a first generation student attending SDSU. In my fourth year as a Psychology major with a minor in Public Health. From San Diego California, with parents from La Ciudad de Mexico and Michoacan. I enjoy going on hikes, to the beach, playing basketball, and working out. Also work part time at the krusty krab. At the LRC we party with everyone so everyone is welcome!

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Victor Hernandez-Bustos

(He/Him/El)

Hello! My name is Victor Hernandez Bustos and I'm an incoming third year here at SDSU. I'm a Business Marketing major . I also have the privilege of being one of the oldest grandchildren in my family and the first in their family to attend college and strive for a bachelor's degree. Some of my hobbies include dancing, jewelry making, and being outdoors surrounded by nature. I also serve as one of the current Co-vice Chair for M.E.Ch.A (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlán) of SDSU. Here I've met some of my bestest friends and initialed my love for grass-root activism. My dream job is to work locally near/ on the border of Tijuana. Working for a non-profit which helps aslyum seekers reaching it to full citizenship. Overall, I am looking forward to strengthening our comunidad and excited to create meaningful relationships with others!

 

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Paola Mora

(She/Her/Hers/Ella)

Hola Hola! My name is Paola Mora and I am an first year student here at SDSU. I am majoring in Computer Science and minoring in Interdisciplinary Studies in the Weber Honors College. I'm from Oceanside, California and have lived in California my whole life. My family is from Veracruz and Michoacan and I carry my culture with me proudly. Outside of school I've been a ballet folklorico dancer for 6 years and love playing pickleball or tennis with friends! I am excited to work at the LRC and help our community grow even more at SDSU.