Ricardo Avitia

Outreach Liaison/GEAR-UP Coordinator, Chabot Community College"
"As a mentor and role model to the youth in our surrounding area, I believe it is important to acquire as much skill and knowledge to further develop my role as a leader.” 

Josias Aguiar

Coordinator for Youth Programs, Spanish Speaking Citizens Foundation/Oakland “
I believe that it is important to give back to my community because it nourishes our families and youth.”

Abel Guillen

Member of the Board of Trustees, Peralta Community College Vice President, Caldwell, Flores, Winters, Inc.
“I see my job to ensure that I provide effective leadership for my generation and the generations behind me. We need to find new ways of using government and business to solve many of the issues facing our community..”

Mark Salinas

Sociology Professor, Chabot Community College
“ My intention is to develop and learn what successful strategies are for communities, especially the Chicano and Latino Communities.”

Hector Javier
Preciado

Member of the Greenlining Institute
“As alum of the Greenlining Institute’s Leadership Development Academy, I learned about the value of utilizing leadership to advocate for underserved communities and to leverage those instances to affect positive social change .”

Elisa Marquez

Community Social Worker for the City of Oakland
“As a lifelong resident of Hayward, I have great admiration for the diversity in the Bay Area. I have a lifelong history of community activism starting in high school. I maintain a strong value in giving back to my community. I believe that each one of us has a unique skill that can be shared to improve the lives of others.”

Marty Zielke

Academic Counselor, Merritt Community College
“For the past 10 years, I have worked as a community college counselor at Merritt Community College assisting Latinos find their vocational paths and support them in their educational goals as they encounter multiple barriers in their way.”

Bernadette Zermeño

Associate of Video Z
“With an increasing Latino population throughout the nation there is still an under-representation of Latinos in higher levels of education. I believe one of the goals to address this issue does not just begin at the University level, but throughout the Latino Students’ educational career and community.”

Elsa Saenz

Clinical Social Worker for Alameda County Social Services
“I have over 15 years of volunteer and work experience; collaborating with community members and agencies to improve the quality of life for residents in Alameda County. I directly work with Latino families that are marginalized and struggling each day due to myriad of social-economic challenges."

Liz Morales Contreras

Project Coordinator, Chabot Community College
“In the past few years, it has been my goal to become very active in my community. Hayward has continued to successfully grow and develop. However, I have seen how some populations in our community do not have a voice, I want to help be that voice."