Featured Individuals
Katherine Flores, MD – From Orphaned Migrant Child Farmworker to MD, Medical Professor UCSF Fresno
Katherine’s mom died during her birth. She was raised by her grandparents and grew up living in a tent with a dirt floor. She worked in the fields along side her grandparents as a migrant child farmworker. Katherine attended Stanford and UC Davis Medical School; she is an Associate Clinical Professor in Family Medicine at UCSF School of Medicine as well as Director of UCSF Fresno Latino Center for Medical Education and Research.
Brandon Guzmán – From Undocumented Migrant Child Farmworker to Hollywood Talent Agent
He came to the U.S. from Mexico City as an undocumented 6 year old boy. By age 7, Brandon was a full-time migrant child farmworker and also was a good student. He applied and was accepted into UCLA where he earned his B.A. and J.D. degrees. Upon passing the bar, he practiced corporate law for a number of years. Brandon made a move from law to the Hollywood entertainment industry where he is quite a success story as a talent manager and producer. He signed Xolo when Xolo was just 13 and has been his manager since. Brandon has been instrumental in guiding Xolo’s career. His guidance was integral to creating the opportunities that helped Xolo land iconic roles such as Cobra Kai‘s Miguel Diaz and in the history-making superhero film Blue Beetle, which was the first to cast a Latino in the leading role as a superhero.
Lisa Ramirez, EdD – From Homeless Migrant Child Farmworker to Earning a Doctorate in Education
Lisa was kicked out of high school for punching the principal. When she was old enough Lisa enlisted in the Army and discovered that she enjoyed learning and earned her doctorate in education. Dr. Ramirez served in leadership at the U.S. Department of Education for many years; She is currently the Senior Executive National Director, Forest Service Jobs Corps at USDA.
Enrique Diaz – Undocumented Migrant Child Farmworker to Engineer at Apple Computer
Enrique arrived in the U.S. undocumented at age 2. By age 6 he was a full-time migrant child farmworker. To follow crops for work, his family took shelter in abandoned buildings or vacant mobile homes. Most of their housing lacked running water, power or sewer. Enrique attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, California where he studied computer engineering and computer science. During his senior year Enrique was hired by Apple as an R&D scientist/engineer. While working there he contributed to the development of pivotal products such as the Bondi Blue iMac, the Cube, iPad, and MacBook Pro.
Blanca E. Rubio – From Twice Deported Child To Leader Elected To California State Assembly
Blanca was deported twice as a child, but eventually became a U.S. citizen. She and attended school in inner-city Los Angeles. She went on to college and became a teacher and student advocate for her community. Blanca is an elected California State Assembly member where she advocates for the safety of teens and women facing domestic violence, is a supporter of Dreamers and foster youth. Blanca hopes her story will encourage other undocumented boys and girls that it is possible to overcome everything they face and become successful U.S.citizens.
Fernando S. Mendoza, MD, MPH – Son of Immigrant Farmworker to Pediatrician, Professor Stanford Medicine
Fernando is the son of an immigrant Mexican farmworker father and a Mexican American mother who was deported back to Mexico as a child. He grew up never thinking about attending college, let alone becoming a doctor. A high school counselor suggested that he might want to consider being a doctor. Fernando went on to study medicine at Stanford and Harvard. He not only became an MD, also a Professor of Pediatrics, and the Associate Dean of Diversity at Stanford School of Medicine. Professor Emeritus, Dr. Mendoza is internationally recognized for his research and publications on health policy concerning Hispanic populations. He advocates for health care equity for all under resourced populations and is sounding the alarm about the dearth of diversity among medical educators.
Anna M. Caballero – From a Copper Mining Family to UCLA Law Degree to California State Senate
She a graduate of UCLA Law School. In 1998, Senator Caballero made history as the first woman elected Mayor in the 126-year history of the City of Salinas. She went on to become the first Latina elected to represent the 28th Assembly District in 2006. In 2011, she was appointed by Governor Jerry Brown to serve as a member of his cabinet. In 2016 she made history as the first Latina elected to represent California’s 12th Senate District (now the 14th Senate District) and is currently in her second term.
Esteban G. Burchard, MD, MPH – From Tough San Francisco Barrio to Acclaimed Medical Researcher
Distinguished, Endowed, Tenured Professor of Medicine and Pharmacy UCSF. – raised in the tough SF Mission Barrio; he studied at Stanford Medical School and Harvard. Dr. Burchard has authored more than 370 peer-reviewed articles. Currently a professor at UCSF Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program.
Ramon Resa, MD – From Abandoned Migrant Child Farmworker to Pediatrician, Author, Public Speaker
Ramon was abandoned by his mother at age 2 and raised as 1 of 14 children in a two-room house. He and the other children in the household all worked as a full-time migrant child farm laborers. In second grade his teacher told him he should go to college, because with a degree he could choose any career he wanted. Ramon decided to go for it and became the top student in his class. He attended UC Santa Cruz and earned his MD at UCI Medical School. Once he received a license to practice, Dr. Resa returned to the area he grew up where is has been a doctor and role model for kids like he once was for over 30 years
Raul Ruiz, MD, MPH, MPP – Migrant Child Farmworker to ER Doctor; Elected/Serving in the U.S. Congress
The son of immigrants, Raul grew up working in the fields with his family. He went on to attend UCLA and Harvard. When Dr. Ruiz received his license to practice medicine he returned to his community to serve as a much needed ER doctor. Dr. Ruiz ran for and was elected to the U.S. Congress where he is a leader and advocate for safe and responsible child farm labor laws, accessible health care for underserved populations and earned pathways to citizenship for Dreamers and their families.
Tony Cárdenas – Son Immigrant Farm Worker – Large Family to Engineer; Former U.S. Congressman
Education was important to Tony’s immigrant parents. They didn’t have the opportunity to attend school beyond the first grade. It was a motivation for Tony and nearly all of his ten siblings to earn advanced degrees. Tony, an engineer, was elected to the U.S. Congress. While there, he worked to expand opportunity and support for Latinos interested in STEM careers. He fought for additional funding to bolster children’s health care. And he tirelessly advocated for reforming law enforcement practices and policies concerning minor children convicted of crimes.