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Hispanic Heritage Month 2023 Highlights

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Born on August 17, 1962, in a small town in California, Jose’s life would come to exemplify the limitless potential of perseverance, education, and unyielding ambition. As the son of migrant farmworkers from Mexico, Hernández spent much of his childhood on the California circuit -- traveling with his family from Mexico to Southern California beginning each March, then working northward to Stockton, then returning to Mexico where Hernández would work at farms along the route before starting the cycle again in the spring. Hernández, a senior in high school at the time, developed his passion for science and engineering when he heard that the first Hispanic American, Franklin Chang-Diaz, had been chosen to travel into space. After graduating high school, Hernández earned a bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of the Pacific in Stockton (1984), followed by a master’s degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara (1986). While in college, Hernández was involved in the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) program, an academic preparation program that provides support to underrepresented students. In 1987, Hernández worked with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, where he developed quantitative x-ray film imaging analysis techniques that were essential for the first full-field digital mammography imaging system. In 2001, Hernández joined the Johnson Space Center and soon became Chief of the Materials and Processes Branch. Hernández’s trajectory towards the stars encountered its share of setbacks, being turned down eleven times by NASA’s astronaut program. Continuing to refine his skills and deepen his expertise in scientific research, Hernández was selected as part of the 19th class of astronauts in 2004. In 2006, Hernández completed Astronaut Candidate Training that included intensive instructions to become a mission specialist on the STS-128 mission 14 days on board the Space Shuttle, Discovery. Post his space odyssey, Hernández assumed the role of advocacy when he ran for the US House of Representatives in the 10th California Congressional District. In 2016, Hernández earned the National Hispanic Hero Award presented by the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute. To this day, Hernández continues his work in the field of engineering and space as CEO of Tierra Luna Engineering, LLC. The MESA alumni Jose Hernández’s inspiring narrative has even reached Hollywood in the 2023 biopic “A Million Miles Away,” in which he is portrayed by Michael Peña, releasing September 15, 2023. Information for the post was sourced from the following websites: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/José_M._Hernández https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/hernandez_jose.pdf https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/nasaandyou/home/jose_bkgd_en.html

Dr. Tatiana Segura is a Professor at Duke University, where she teaches Biomedical Engineering, Neurology, and Dermatology. Her research focuses on cell-material interactions and tissue engineering. Although she was born in Buffalo, New York, Dr. Segura spent her childhood in Bogotá, Colombia. Her father was pursuing a graduate degree in the United States when she was born. At 17, she moved in with an American family in Los Angeles. She intended to learn English and return to Bogotá for college, but ultimately she decided to attend college in the United States. In 1995, she began attending Rancho Santiago Community College in Santa Ana, California. Dr. Segura then transferred to UC Berkeley, where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Bioengineering. Upon graduation, she began pursuing a PhD in Chemical Engineering at Northwestern University, which she completed in 2004. Dr. Segura worked with Professor Jeff Hubbell at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich, Switzerland where she researched self-assembling materials for siRNA delivery. But before starting her post-doctoral journey, Dr. Segura secured a tenure-track position at the UCLA Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. Dr. Segura spent twelve years at UCLA, ultimately receiving tenure and becoming an Associate Professor. Then, in 2018, she relocated to North Carolina and moved the Segura Lab to Duke University. During her career, Dr. Segura has received several awards for her contributions to STEM. These awards include the CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation, the Outstanding Young Investigator Award from the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy, the National Scientist Development Grant from the American Heart Association, a fellowship from the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineers, and the 2020 Acta Biomaterialia Silver Medal. Dr. Segura has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers and reviews and has over 7,000 citations. The Segura Lab has earned several grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), receiving continuous funding since 2008. She is also a permanent member of the Gene and Drug Delivery Study section at NIH. Information for the post was sourced from the following websites: https://seguralab.duke.edu/who/tatiana-segura/ https://www.journals.elsevier.com/scripta-materialia/news/tatiana-segura-2021-acta-biomaterialia-silver-medal-recipien https://bme.duke.edu/faculty/tatiana-segura

Dr. Abel Valenzuela Jr. is the interim Dean of Social Sciences at UCLA. He formerly served as Director of UCLA’s Institute for Research on Labor and Employment (IRLE) and a Professor of Chicana/o Studies and Urban Planning. Valenzuela is an experienced professor, with almost 30 years as a faculty member at UCLA. He has authored several books and articles on issues concerning labor, poverty, and immigration. Valenzuela earned his Bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley, as well as an MCP and PhD in City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He joined UCLA’s faculty in 1994 and dedicates his research to Demography & Population Studies, Immigration/Immigrant Rights, Labor & Employment, and Mobility & Opportunity, Urban Studies. He served as Special Advisor to Chancellor Gene Block on immigration policy to ensure the success of undocumented and international students. As Director of IRLE, Valenzuela coordinated the Human Resources Round Table (HARRT), the Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program (LOSH), the Labor Center, and the Labor Studies program. Under his direction, the IRLE made several advancements in the field of Labor Studies, with contributions to research and the establishment of a new major, Labor Studies, at UCLA. Valenzuela’s notable publications include entries to the American Behavioral Scientist, Working USA: a Journal of Labor and Society, New England Journal of Public Policy, International Journal of Comparative Sociology, and more. Valenzuela continues to contribute to the field of Social Sciences and Labor Studies through research and inspiring leadership as Dean of Social Sciences at UCLA. Outside his work, Valenzuela is a husband and a father of three children. As a longtime Los Angeles resident, he continues to focus his labor research in the Los Angeles Metropolitan area. Information for the post was sourced from the following websites: https://irle.ucla.edu/portfolio-item/abel-valenzuela/ https://www.international.ucla.edu/lai/person/1043 https://www.college.ucla.edu/2022/08/16/abel-valenzuela-interim-dean-division-social-sciences

Blanca Pacheco is the first Latina Mayor of Downey. She was elected to the Downey City Council in 2016, became Mayor in 2020 and was elected to the California State Assembly to represent the 64th Assembly District in November 2022. A native of Downey, Pacheco earned her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a specialization in Chicana/o Studies from UCLA in 1996. She later attended Loyola Law School and passed the California State Bar Exam in 2003. Upon graduation from Loyola, she returned to her hometown to work as a substitute teacher for the Downey Unified School District while also working part-time as a paralegal instructor at the Downey Adult School. Her career as a lawyer includes work in municipal law, estate law, and she has worked with the Southeast District Bar Association (SEDBA) and the Mexican American Bar Association (MABA) to provide pro bono legal services to those in need. Pacheco is also a member of the League of California Cities’, where she served as Vice-President of the Los Angeles Division. Pacheco is a dedicated member of the Downey community, joining organizations such as Gangs out of Downey and serving as President of Downey’s Kiwanis chapter in 2014. For her leadership in Kiwanis, she was awarded the Distinguished President’s Award. In 2016, Pacheco was named Downey’s Woman of the Year by assembly woman Cristina Garcia. She was inducted into Downey High School’s Hall of Fame in 2019 for her civic leadership. Pacheco continues to dedicate her work to public service as the Mayor of Downey and as candidate for State Assembly. Information for the post was sourced from the following websites: https://www.downeyca.org/our-city/mayor-city-council/blanca-pacheco-of-district-1 https://www.pachecoforassembly.com/meet-blanca

Dr. Frank Rubio, Lt. Col., is a US Veteran, NASA Astronaut, Flight Surgeon, and Helicopter Pilot. He will set the record for the longest time spent in space by a US Astronaut, estimated to be 377 days. He is the first Salvadorian-American to travel to the International Space Station. Although Dr. Rubio was born in Los Angeles, California, he grew up in Miami, Florida. Upon graduating from Miami Sunset Senior High School, Dr. Rubio entered the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. He earned a Doctorate of Medicine from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, and completed his residency at Martin Army Community Hospital, Fort Benning, Georgia. Within the armed forces, he has completed courses such as the US Army Aviation Captain’s Career Course and Officer Basic Course, Joint Firepower Control Course, Cavalry Leader’s Course, and the US Army Flight Surgeon Course. He is also a graduate of the US Army Command and General Staff College. In 2017, Dr. Rubio was selected by NASA to become an Astronaut and undergo training. He departed for the International Space Station in September 2022, and he is on track to set the record for the longest time spent in space by a US Astronaut after the spacecraft he was supposed to return home in was deemed unsuitable to carry astronauts. His mission will beat the record held by US Astronaut Mark Vande Hei, whose mission lasted 355 days. Prior to becoming an astronaut, Dr. Rubio served in the United States Armed Forces as UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopter pilot, flying over 1100 hours and doing 600 hours of combat and imminent danger time in countries such as Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Dr. Rubio has received several honors and awards, including the Meritorious Service Medal (second award), the Bronze Star (second award), the Army Achievement Medal (fourth award), Army Commendation Medal (fourth award), as Pathfinder, Senior US Army Aviator, Parachute, and Air Assault badges. Information for the post was sourced from the following websites: https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/29/world/longest-stay-in-space-nasa-frank-rubio-scn/index.html https://www.nasa.gov/content/frank-rubio-md-lt-colonel-us-army-nasa-astronaut https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Rubio_(astronaut)

Mónica González is a professional soccer athlete and founding member of Mexico’s Women’s National Football Team. She was the captain of the Mexico Women’s National Football Team from 2003-2007 and the founder of the Gonzo Soccer Academy. Born in Texas, González grew up with three brothers, one of whom played soccer at the United States Naval Academy. She played soccer all throughout grade school and continued her career at the University of Notre Dame, where she represented the Fighting Irish in Women’s Soccer. Gonzalez double-majored in Spanish and Management Information Systems and finished with a 3.39 GPA while training hard and curating her soccer career. While pursuing her Bachelor’s degree, she played forward for two years and defense for one year. She earned her spot on the second All-American Soccer team in 2001. In 2009, she moved to Chicago to try out for the Chicago Red Stars. While she didn’t make the team, she started a non-profit organization called the Gonzo Soccer Academy to mentor young Hispanic girls in their lives as well as soccer. Later on, she expanded the organization to Texas, Mexico, and Columbia. As of 2019, Gonzalez coaches for the Houston Dash Women’s Soccer Team. In 1998 during her first year at Notre Dame, she joined the Mexico Women’s National Football Team and represented Mexico in the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup. From 2003 to 2007, she served as captain of the Mexico team, and led the Mexico Women’s team in the 2004 Olympic Games. This was Mexico’s first appearance at the Olympics for Women’s Soccer. She retired from the Mexico Women’s National Football Team after they did not qualify for the World Cup that year. However, she returned to the Mexico team in 2010 to give the World Cup another shot. Although Mexico qualified for the World Cup, she was unable to represent the team after being cut. Instead, she was hired by ESPN3 as a studio analyst to cover the 2011 Women’s World Cup. She entered a career in sports commentary and coaching following the World Cup. Gonzalez was a Sideline Reporter for Major League Soccer, a contributor to ESPN3, a Sports Analyst for the Longhorn Network, and an announcer for NBC Universo and Fox Deportes. Information for the post was sourced from the following websites: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%B3nica_Gonz%C3%A1lez_(soccer)

Antonio Villaraigosa is a politician and the 41st Mayor of Los Angeles. Upon his election, Villaraigosa was the first Hispanic Mayor of Los Angeles in 130 years. Before serving as Mayor, he was a member of the California State Assembly and served as Speaker of the Assembly. Villaraigosa ran for Governor of California in 2018, finishing in third place for the Democratic primary. Born in City Terrace, East Los Angeles, Villaraigosa is the eldest of four and was raised by a single-mother. Although Villaraigosa briefly dropped out of high school, he completed his education at night school and enrolled in East Los Angeles College. He then transferred to UCLA, and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in history. He went on to obtain a Law degree from the People’s College of Law. From a young age, Villaraigosa has been interested in politics and policy. Villaraigosa participated in his first protest as an organizer for Cesar Chavez’ Grape Boycott when he was fifteen. Since then, he has been active in Los Angeles’ labor organizations and unions such as United Teachers Los Angeles and the American Civil Liberties Union. In 1994, Villaraigosa was elected to the California State Assembly, serving as Democratic Assembly Whip and Assembly Majority Leader before leaving in 2000 due to term limits. He followed up his career with a campaign for Los Angeles Mayor, narrowly losing to James Hahn. However, Villaraigosa returned to challenge Hahn in 2005, this time winning the election and becoming the Mayor of Los Angeles. Serving two consecutive terms from 2005 to 2013, focused his policy on school reform, funding public transportation and environmental protection. Villaraigosa continues to be active in politics and bring awareness to issues concerning education, immigration, and economics, among others. He is currently an infrastructure Advisor to the State of California under Governor Gavin Newsom. Information for the post was sourced from the following websites: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Villaraigosa https://www.britannica.com/biography/Antonio-Villaraigosa

Dr. Lydia Villa-Komaroff is a cellular and molecular biologist. Being the third Mexican-American Woman to receive a doctorate in a STEM field (Cell Biology) in the United States, Dr. Villa-Komaroff is a strong advocate for Hispanics in STEM and the Co-Founder of The Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS). Most notably, Dr. Villa-Komaroff played a role in the discovery of using bacterial cells to create insulin during her postdoctoral research. Born in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Dr. Villa-Komaroff was inspired to pursue science by her chemist uncle. Within her family, she is the eldest of six children, her mother is a social worker, and her father is a teacher and musician. Dr. Villa-Komaroff started her undergraduate career as a Chemistry major at the University of Washington, until she transferred to Goucher College in Maryland to pursue Biology when she relocated with her husband, Dr. Anthony L. Komaroff. Upon graduation, she moved to Boston and enrolled in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to pursue a PhD in Molecular Biology supervised by Harvey Lodish and Nobel Laureate David Baltimore. In 1975, she completed her PhD and went on to do postdoctoral research in recombinant DNA technology at Harvard. In 1976, Cambridge banned recombinant research due to fear of creating new diseases, forcing Dr. Villa-Komaroff to relocate to the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory to continue her research. When the ban was lifted, she returned to Harvard Medical School and joined Nobel Laureate Walter Gilbert’s lab as a postdoctoral fellow. It was here that Dr. Villa-Komaroff aided the discovery of bacteria being used to make proinsulin, which advanced the field of Biotechnology. Dr. Villa-Komaroff joined the faculty of the University of Massachusetts Medical School, before joining the faculty of Harvard Medical School in pursuit of a lighter teaching load. Dr. Villa-Komaroff stepped away from research and served as Vice-President of Northwestern University. She then returned to Boston in 2003 and served as Vice President for Research and Chief Operating Officer of the Whitehead Institute, an MIT-affiliated research lab. She now serves on the board of several Biotechnology companies. Dr. Villa-Komaroff’s research on insulin was featured in the documentary “DNA Detective”. She also contributed to the discovery of amyloid beta, the molecule associated with Alzheimer's Disease. Information for the post was sourced from the following websites: https://www.kgi.edu/people/lydia-villa-komaroff/ https://www.thewonderwomenproject.org/pages/biography-of-lydia-villa-komaroff/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lydia_Villa-Komaroff

Nomar Garciaparra, who is of Mexican-American descent, is a former Major League Baseball player and current SportsNet LA analyst. Garciaparra played nine seasons in the MLB as an All-Star shortstop for the Boston Red Sox, he played shortstop, third base and first base for the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Oakland Athletics. Garciaparra is a six-time All-Star and won the AL Rookie of the Year at shortstop in 1997. His overall career batting average was .313, and he holds the record for the highest single-season batting average by a right-handed batter in the post-war era, batting .372 in 2000. Because of his prowess at the plate in 1999 and 2000, Garciaparra won the AL Batting Title, becoming the first right handed batter to accomplish this feat in back-to-back years since Joe DiMaggio. During Garciaparra’s Rookie Of the Year season, he hit 30 home runs along with 209 base hits (a Red Sox rookie record), and 98 runs-batted-in, setting a new MLB record for both RBIs by a leadoff hitter and homers by a rookie shortstop. During his rookie year, he batted .306, and set an AL rookie record with a 30-game hit streak. Garciaparra also stole 22 bases, and hit a league leading 11 triples. His Rookie Of the Year award was voted in unanimously and Garciaparra competed in the Home Run Derby as well as his first MLB All-Star Game. That same year, he finished eighth in MVP voting, and captured the Silver Slugger Award for AL Shortstop. In 2006, Garciaparra returned to his hometown, signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was named the National League's Comeback Player of the Year in 2006 and played a key role in helping the Dodgers reach the playoffs in both 2006 and 2008. Information for the post was sourced from the following website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nomar_Garciaparra https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/nomar-garciaparras-full-career-wasnt-enough-for-cooperstown-but-it-was-still-damn-good/ https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/garcino01.shtml Nomar Garciaparra, who is of Mexican-American descent, is a former Major League Baseball player and current SportsNet LA analyst. Garciaparra played nine seasons in the MLB as an All-Star shortstop for the Boston Red Sox, he played shortstop, third base and first base for the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Oakland Athletics. Garciaparra is a six-time All-Star and won the AL Rookie of the Year at shortstop in 1997. His overall career batting average was .313, and he holds the record for the highest single-season batting average by a right-handed batter in the post-war era, batting .372 in 2000. Because of his prowess at the plate in 1999 and 2000, Garciaparra won the AL Batting Title, becoming the first right handed batter to accomplish this feat in back-to-back years since Joe DiMaggio. During Garciaparra’s Rookie Of the Year season, he hit 30 home runs along with 209 base hits (a Red Sox rookie record), and 98 runs-batted-in, setting a new MLB record for both RBIs by a leadoff hitter and homers by a rookie shortstop. During his rookie year, he batted .306, and set an AL rookie record with a 30-game hit streak. Garciaparra also stole 22 bases, and hit a league leading 11 triples. His Rookie Of the Year award was voted in unanimously and Garciaparra competed in the Home Run Derby as well as his first MLB All-Star Game. That same year, he finished eighth in MVP voting, and captured the Silver Slugger Award for AL Shortstop. In 2006, Garciaparra returned to his hometown, signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was named the National League's Comeback Player of the Year in 2006 and played a key role in helping the Dodgers reach the playoffs in both 2006 and 2008. Information for the post was sourced from the following website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nomar_Garciaparra https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/nomar-garciaparras-full-career-wasnt-enough-for-cooperstown-but-it-was-still-damn-good/ https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/garcino01.shtml

Andrea Meza is a software engineer and the winner of the Miss Universe Beauty Pageant in 2020. She is the third Mexican woman to be crowned Miss Universe. Meza was born in Chihuahua City, Mexico, as the eldest of three children. Upon graduating secondary school, Meza enrolled in the Autonomous University of Chihuahua, studying software engineering. She works as a Software Engineer along with her career in pageantry. Meza began competing in pageants in 2016, starting with Miss World Mexico 2016 when she was selected to represent Chihuahua. Meza emerged victorious in this pageant, after advancing to the top 5 and being awarded one of two crowns in the competition. She was crowned Miss Mexico in 2017. This win qualified Meza to represent Mexico in Miss World 2017, and after advancing from several cohorts from the top 40 to the top 5, Meza finished as first runner-up. She was crowned Miss World Americas and Manushi Chhillar from India became Miss World 2017. Also within this competition, Meza placed fourth runner-up in the talent competition and she was placed within 2017 Miss World Continental Queens of Beauty. In 2020, Meza competed again in Mexicana Universal Chihuahua, and after winning, she advanced to Miss Mexicana Universal to represent Chihuahua. She won six pre-pageant challenges and advanced through all the cohorts before ultimately being crowned as Mexicana Universal 2020. She then went on to represent Mexico in Miss Universe 2020, which was postponed to 2021 due the COVID-19 Pandemic. Meza advanced from the initial pool of 74 contestants all the way to the top 5, where she was crowned Miss Universe 2020 by her predecessor Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa. Information for the post was sourced from the following websites: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrea_Meza

Hector Ruiz is the current CEO of Advanced Nanotechnology Solutions and the former CEO of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). Ruiz has a technical background in Electrical Engineering and is the author of the book, “Slingshot: AMD’s Fight To Free An Industry From The Ruthless Grip Of Intel,” which documents AMD’s antitrust suit against Intel. Born in Piedras Negras, Mexico, Dr. Ruiz would walk across the border every day to go to high school in Eagle Pass, Texas. He graduated as valedictorian only three years after beginning to learn English, and enrolled in the University of Texas, Austin. He majored in Electrical Engineering, earning both a Bachelor’s and Masters from UT Austin. He then earned a PhD from Rice University shortly after earning his Master’s degree. He received the Semico Bellwether Award in 2009, Executive of the Year in 2005 from EE Times, CEO of the Year in 2005 from Electronic Business, and Top 25 Business Leader in 2006 from “Fortune Magazine.” In 2012, Dr. Ruiz was named a Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Texas and in 2015 he received the Ohtli Award from the Mexican Consulate in Austin, Texas. Before his recruitment to AMD by Jerry Sanders, Ruiz worked for Texas Instruments for six years and Motorola for twenty-two years. By 2004, Ruiz was Chairman and CEO of AMD, and he was paving the way for AMD to become more competitive against Intel. Dr. Ruiz is credited with reimagining the manufacturing process at AMD, making the cost of running microchip factories lower and increasing chip design funcing. Under Dr. Ruiz, AMD filed an antitrust lawsuit against Intel in 2005 that would eventually rule in favor of AMD, making Intel pay over one billion in damages as well as other terms associated with the settlement. The New York Times reported that from 2003-2006, AMD’s microchips were better, and that Intel was in talks with AMD to adopt their chips, although the deal never went through. In 2008, Ruiz resigned as CEO of AMD and joined GlobalFoundries Inc, a spinoff company of AMD that manufactures semiconductors. Today, he carries out advisory duties for companies such as EDCO Ventures while serving as CEO of Advanced Nanotechnology Solutions. He is an advisor to the University of Texas College of Engineering board and President George W. Bush's Council of Advisors for Science and Technology. He is also the founder and director of ANSI Capital LLC. Information for the post was sourced from the following websites: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hector_Ruiz http://www.hectorruiz.com/about

Sonia Sotomayor is an Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court. Appointed by President Barack Obama, she is the first Latina woman to hold a seat on the US Supreme Court. Born in the Bronx, New York, Sotomayor is of Puerto Rican descent. She was raised by her mother, who worked as a nurse, after her father passed away when she was just nine years old. However, growing up she was closer to her grandmother than she was with her parents. Her mother emphasized the value of education to Sotomayor and her siblings. She was a stellar student, graduating class valedictorian and studying at Princeton University. Sotomayor had trouble adjusting to the rigor of Princeton in her first year, but after putting in long hours studying and addressing knowledge gaps, she began earning very high grades. She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor’s degree in History, and went on to Yale Law school. She joined the Yale Law Journal as an editor and continued her student advocacy for hiring more Hispanic faculty that she had originally started at Princeton. She worked at New York law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison in one of her first summers as a law student. Sotomayor graduated from Yale Law School with a Juris Doctor degree in 1979, and she passed the New York Bar the following year. Sotomayor embarked on a remarkable career in Law. She took a position as an Assistant District Attorney for the New York County DA, where she worked with the trial division as a prosecutor in criminal cases. Eager to try cases in court, she joined the Pavia & Harcourt firm as an associate, where she gained civil litigation experience. She went on to become a partner in the firm, but ultimately left to become the first Hispanic Federal Judge in the state of New York. Sotomayor took liberal leaning stances in many of her rulings, and eventually she became the Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, nominated by President Bill Clinton. She continued to build a strong reputation for her fair rulings and liberal stances. In 2009, President Obama nominated Sotomayor to the US Supreme Court, and she was confirmed the same year. She was a part of several landmark cases involving the Miranda Warnings, the Stolen Valor Act, the Affordable Care Act, immigration, the Fourth Amendment, environmental law, and abortion. She has received several awards and honorary doctorates for her contributions to law. Aside from her civil service duties, Sotomayor has authored several books and has worked as an Adjunct Professor at New York University School of Law, as well as making appearances as a guest lecturer at other prestigious universities. Information for the post was sourced from the following websites: https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/background-judge-sonia-sotomayor https://supremecourthistory.org/supreme-court-justices/associate-justice-sonia-sotomayor/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonia_Sotomayor

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Isabella Arzeno Soltero earned her Doctorate in Physical Oceanography in 2020 from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. While being a teaching assistant at UC San Diego, she organized the Rosa Parks Tutoring Program designed to help promote diversity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields in communities facing economic and social challenges. Prior to attending UCSD for her doctorate, she obtained both her Bachelor’s in Earth Systems from Stanford University and Master’s in Civil and Environmental Engineering. In July 1, 2023 she began her position as an Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Arzeno Soltero has conducted extensive research on the dynamics of the ocean, recently focusing on the relationship between seaweed and hydrodynamics. Arzeno Soltero’s methodology has centered on observational approaches, focusing on techniques such as scientific diving for instrument deployment. During Arzeno Soltero's post-doctural tenure at UC Irvine, she conducted research on global potential for seaweed cultivation, developing a model to estimate and assess the capacity of seaweed cultivation as a strategy for carbon dioxide removal. Information for the post was sourced from the following websites: https://samueli.ucla.edu/physical-oceanographer-joins-ucla-civil-and-environmental-engineering-department/ https://www.cee.ucla.edu/ucla-civil-and-environmental-engineering-welcomes-new-assistant-professor-isabella-arzeno-soltero/

Robert Garcia is a Peruvian-American Politician representing California’s 42nd District in the US House of Representatives. He is the first Peruvian-American to serve in congress. Prior to his election to the House of Representatives, Garcia won a historic election for Mayor of Long Beach, becoming the city’s first Latino, openly LGBT, and youngest mayor. Born in Lima, Perú, Garcia immigrated to the United States with his mother at the age of five. He attended California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), where he became the President of the Associated Students and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Communication Studies. He went on to earn a Master’s degree from the University of Southern California (USC) and an EdD from CSULB. Garcia became a college professor, teaching communication and public policy at schools such USC, CSULB, and Long Beach City College (LBCC). Prior to his involvement in public service, Garcia ran The Long Beach Post, a website dedicated to local news and sports reporting. This website helped him gain prominence in Long Beach, and he eventually sold the website before he was elected Mayor of Long Beach. Garcia was first elected to Long Beach’s government in 2009, when he won the election for Long Beach City Council. Garcia served 5 years in Long Beach City Council, rising up to Vice Mayor after a unanimous election in 2012. He gained national attention due to his youth, influence, and progressive agenda, earning his way onto The Advocate’s “40 under 40 list” and CNN”s 2009 “Latino in America” special. Two years later, in 2014, Garcia became Mayor of Long Beach. His tenure as mayor is marked by several advancements in international trade, human rights, labor rights, environmental protection, and public health. He led Long Beach through the COVID-19 pandemic and led initiatives to ban styrofoam, plastic bags, and plastic straws. In 2022, Garcia was elected to the United States House of Representatives, representing California’s 42nd District. He was sworn in to the 118th United States Congress in January 2023 as a member of the Democratic Party. Information for the post was sourced from the following websites: https://robertgarcia.house.gov/about https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Garcia_(California_politician)

Dr. Matilde Hidalgo was an Ecuadorian physician, poet, and activist. She is known for being the first woman in Ecuador to exercise her right to vote, as well as being the first Ecuadorian woman to receive a Doctorate in Medicine. Born in Ecuador, Dr. Hidalgo made history on several occasions. She was the first woman in Ecuador to graduate high school and the first woman elected to public office. As a child, her mother worked as a seamstress to support her family after her father passed away. When she completed sixth grade, she expressed interest to her brother about continuing her education. At the time, it was frowned upon in her community for women to receive higher education, so when a local principal approved her request to continue her schooling, she received a lot of backlash. Local mothers would prohibit their children from befriending Dr. Hidalgo and her priest forced her to stand two steps outside of the church during mass. Despite all the obstacles that she faced, with the continued support of her mother she was able to complete high school and apply for college. Being allowed entrance to college was a journey in itself for Dr. Hidalgo. She initially applied to the Central University of Ecuador and was denied entry on the basis of her being a woman. Eventually, she was able to attend the University of Cuenca in Ecuador, graduating with honors in medicine. She then reapplied to the Central University of Ecuador for a Doctorate and was accepted, allowing her to become the first woman in Ecuador to hold a Doctorate in Medicine. After completing her education, she married lawyer Fernando Procel and had two children. Outside of her career in medicine, Dr. Hidalgo was a Poet and Activist, with her poems focusing on topics related to Marian devotion, science, nature, love, and women. During the 1924 Ecuadorian Presidential Election, Dr. Hidalgo intended on voting in the election during a time when women were not allowed to vote. This issue was brought up to the law, and they ruled in her favor allowing her to become the first woman in Ecuador to vote in an election. She also was elected to the council of Machala, eventually becoming vice president of the council and being the first woman elected to this council. At the age of 85, Dr. Hidalgo tragically passed, succumbing to complications caused by a stroke. In 2019, she was honored with a Google Doodle for her 130th birthday. Information for the post was sourced from the following websites: https://www.ecuadorianliterature.com/matilde-hidalgo-de-procel/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matilde_Hidalgo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matilde_Hidalgo_Prize

Sabrina Gonzalez Pasterski is a physicist specializing in high-energy physics. In 2015, she was featured in Forbes' "30 under 30 Science" list and the "30 under 30 All Stars" list. She was also recognized in the 2012 edition of Scientific American's "30 under 30." Originating from Chicago, Illinois, Pasterski, a first-generation Cuban-American, has demonstrated exceptional achievement from an early age. Her father, a lawyer and electrical engineer, encouraged her to pursue her passions. At the age of ten, Pasterski started taking flying lessons. Soon after she began building her own airplane and eventually completed her first solo flight in an aircraft that she built. Pasterski attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), graduating at the top of her class with a confirm 5.00 GPA. By the age of 21, she began earning her PhD at Harvard University, working with her advisor Andrew Strominger. After earning her PhD in 2019, she started a postdoctoral program at Princeton University. She notably contributed to the field of physics with the discovery of the “spin memory effect” and the Pasterski–Strominger–Zhiboedov Triangle for electromagnetic memory. In 2016, Stephen Hawking cited a solo paper written by Pasterksi. Pasterski is an advocate for expanding access to STEM education for women worldwide. She actively promoted President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama's "Let Girls Learn" initiative, aimed at keeping girls in school and improving global access to education. For her contributions to the initiative, she was invited to the White House, and a congratulatory message from the White House was televised. With Cuban-American ancestry, Pasterski also advocates for increased access to STEM education for women in Cuba. The History Channel has featured stories about her in Latin America. She continues to make significant contributions to the field of physics through her research and academic pursuits. Information for the post was sourced from the following websites: www.captechu.edu/blog/sabrina-gonzalez-pasterski-young-woman-dubbed-next-albert-einstein https://hnmagazine.com/2018/07/10-latinas-making-mark-stem-world/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabrina_Gonzalez_Pasterski#cite_note-16

Luis Muñoz Marin was the first democratically elected governor of Puerto Rico and a journalist. He is known as the “Architect of the Puerto Rico Commonwealth.” Born in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, Marín came from a family that was familiar with public office and media. His father, Luis Muñoz Rivera, was the founder of two newspapers, “El Diario” and “La Democracia.” Rivera was also the Secretary of State of Puerto Rico and served in the House of Delegates of Puerto Rico. Because of his family being a target of violence in Puerto Rico, he moved to New York City where he began learning English. His father established a bilingual newspaper in NYC, leading Marín to frequently travel between Puerto Rico and NYC. He attended school in Puerto Rico, and with the English that he picked up in NYC, he was able to start in 2nd grade. Marín was a high achieving student, learning what would normally be taught from third to eighth grade in the span of two years with high marks on examinations. When his father became the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico, Marín briefly moved to New York City and later to Washington D.C.. Marín enrolled in Georgetown Preparatory School, finding the pace very different from Puerto Rico. His father enrolled him in the Georgetown University Law Center, but he was uninterested due to his aspirations of becoming a poet. He dropped out shortly after when his father passed away in 1916. Marín started his political career in the 1930s, when he was elected to the Puerto Rican Senate under the Liberal Party. As Senator, he accomplished the inclusion of Puerto Rico in the New Deal program after he met with Eleanor Roosevelt and she reported back to President Roosevelt. Marín was expelled from the Liberal Party after conflicting beliefs regarding Puerto Rico’s statehood and independence. As a result he founded the Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico, targeting rural residents of Puerto Rico who were normally paid off by other parties for their vote. With a campaign that supported minimum wage and helping out farm workers affected by hurricanes, the Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico won a majority in the Puerto Rican Senate, and Marín was elected as the fourth President of the Senate. Marín later became Puerto Rico’s first elected Governor and his most notable accomplishment was pushing Puerto Rico into Commonwealth status, after originally being a US Territory. In 1963, Marín received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Kennedy. He retired from the position of governor after serving four terms with a total of 16 years in office. Information for the post was sourced from the following websites: https://www.nga.org/governor/luis-munoz-marin/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luis_Mu%C3%B1oz_Mar%C3%ADn

Celia Cruz was a Grammy Award-winning singer and best-selling Latin Music artist known for her contributions to Salsa and Guaracha music. She earned nicknames like "La Guarachera de Cuba" and the “Queen of Salsa” during her remarkable 55-year-long career in the music industry. Born Úrsula Hilaria Celia de la Caridad Cruz Alfonso in Havana, Cuba, Cruz was the eldest of five children. Her father worked as a railway stoker, while her mother was responsible for raising their children, along with extended family members at home. As the eldest sibling, Cruz assisted her mother by singing lullabies to her younger brothers and sisters to help them fall asleep. Her mother mentioned that Cruz had been singing since she was around nine or ten months old, and she was also part of her school’s choir. Growing up, Cruz was influenced by artists like Pablo Quevedo, Fernando Collazo, Abelardo Barroso, Antonio Arcaño, and Arsenio Rodríguez, as well as neighbors who introduced her to Santería songs. Initially, her father had aspirations for her to become a teacher, so she attended school with the intention of becoming a literature teacher. Singing was not a highly respected profession at the time, and she hesitated to pursue a career in music until one of her teachers highlighted the potential income she could earn from singing. Cruz went on to join several music groups as a singer, including Las Mulatas de Fuego, Coro Yoruba y Tambores Batá, Orquesta de Ernesto Duarte, Gloria Matancera, Sonora Caracas, and Orquesta Anacaona. She also performed on Radio Cadena Suaritos. Her big break came when she auditioned to replace Myrta Silva, the lead singer of Sonora Matancera, who had to return to Puerto Rico. Celia was chosen for the role and recorded 188 songs in 15 years with the band. She also appeared in movies, toured Latin America, and met her future husband, Pedro Knight, who was a trumpeter for the band. In 1960, Cruz left Cuba after Fidel Castro seized control of the country and performed at La Terraza Nightclub in Mexico City to cover her mother’s medical expenses. Soon after her arrival in Mexico, she received the news of her father's passing. She traveled to the United States with Sonora Matancera for a performance and later held solo concerts at the Hollywood Palladium. Despite her desire to return to Cuba after learning of her mother's terminal bladder cancer, she was denied entry. Cruz's mother passed away in 1962. Despite the sadness of losing her parents, Cruz continued to advance her music career, touring with Sonora Matancera in Japan and Europe. She also began collaborating with Tito Puente and launched her own solo career after leaving Sonora Matancera. Her solo career was met with tremendous success, solidifying her status as a legendary Latin music star, and she received numerous awards and sold-out shows. In 2003, Cruz passed away at the age of 77 from glioma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. Her legacy continues to be celebrated today, with notable honors including her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, several Honorary Doctorates, her induction into the Billboard Latin Music Hall of Fame and the International Latin Music Hall of Fame, and being the first recipient of the ASCAP Latin Heritage Award. Following her passing, Cruz received numerous tribute performances, showcasing her enduring impact on the world of music. Information for this post was sourced from the following websites: - https://nmaahc.si.edu/latinx/celia-cruz - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celia_Cruz

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