Latinx Heritage Month

Madelein Santibanez

Roger Velasquez & The Latin Legends

Juan Ramos

American, born in San Antonio, Texas, 1971

Juan Miguel Ramos is truly a product of San Antonio’s art education. He began his training at the age of eight, when he attended the Southwest School of Arts and Crafts. Subsequently, Ramos studied art at the San Antonio Art Institute and the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center in San Antonio, eventually earning a BFA and MFA from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Ramos is a cofounder of San Anto Cultural Arts (SACA), a nonprofit community resource for artistic and spiritual growth. From 2001 to 2007, he was an adjunct art instructor at UTSA as well as at Northwest Vista College and Palo Alto College, both in San Antonio. During Fall 2002, Ramos fulfilled an Artpace artist’s residency in San Antonio. His works often use photography, Sharpie drawings, text, and video to challenge identity stereotypes in a post-Chicano culture. Ramos has shown internationally and in solo exhibitions, which include the Holter Museum in Montana, Luckman Center Gallery in Los Angeles, Soo Visual Arts in Minneapolis, and Museo Alameda of San Antonio, Texas. His work is in the permanent collections of the Dallas Museum of Art, McNay Art Museum, New Museum in New York, Joe A. Diaz, Albuquerque Museum, Ruby City Art Museum and the San Antonio Museum of Art. His work was also selected for the Trienal Poli/Gráfica de San Juan 2004, Altoids Curiously Strong Collection in 2005, Xicanx: Dreamers + Changemakers at Museum of Anthropology, University of British Columbia 2022 and most recently, Cultivating Community Through Art: Sam Coronado Serie Project 2022. In 2023, his work was on display at Ruby City Art Museum for Tangible|Nothing. His most recent work was a solo show titled “Secret City Series 2023” exhibited at Un Grito Gallery. He has been featured in Glasstire and e-flux, and his most recent article is Sala Stories, Part Six, written for Glasstire in October, 2021. Ramos is also a professional musician who has toured around the country. Juan Miguel Ramos currently teaches art at Bihl Haus Art Gallery in San Antonio, TX.

Dr. Paloma Vargas

Dr. Paloma Vargas is the Dean of Mathematics, Science, Health Education, Kinesiology, and Athletics at Oxnard College, a 2-year public Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). As Dean, Dr. Vargas works with administration, faculty, and staff to determine best practices in serving a diverse student population. Dr. Vargas received her B.S. in Biology from the University of Texas at El Paso and El Paso Community College (HSIs) and her M.S. and Ph.D. in Medical and Molecular Parasitology from The Vilcek Institute of Graduate Biomedical Sciences at New York University. Her graduate and post-doctoral work focused on host-pathogen interactions of both parasitic amoeba (E. histolytica) and Legionella pneumophila, the causative agent of Legionnaire’s Disease. Dr. Vargas previously served as a biology faculty member, researcher, HSI Director, Science Coordinator, and STEM Advisor at private and public institutions.

Dr. Vargas has extensive experience in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work. Her focus has been dismantling policies that negatively affect Black, Latinx, and Native American/Indigenous students in higher education. She has served as a facilitator and trainer for faculty in DEI work focusing on Hispanic-Serving Institutions, is an anti-racist in training, and centers equity in her work. Dr. Vargas is an active member of the Aspiring Radical Leaders Institute, the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Latinos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS), and serves as President of the Alliance of Hispanic-Serving Institute Educators (AHSIE).

Jesse Borrego

Araceli Manriquez

Aracely is a middle school dual-language teacher for San Antonio ISD. She currently teaches dual-language social studies and reading. She initiated a Mexican-American Studies class for the middle school where she teaches. She also aided in creating a MAS summer camp (MASLI) on her campus for middle and high school students in her district.

Araceli is an active member of the teachers' union, the San Antonio Alliance, and writes curriculum for her district. She has also worked with authors such as Carmen Tafolla and Diana Lopez to create curriculum for their books. Araceli received her double major B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies Bilingual EC-6 and Mexican-American Studies from UTSA and her Master's degree in Bilingual-Bicultural Studies. She feels blessed for all the opportunities ethnic studies has brought to her and to continue to grow in leadership, organizing, advocacy, curriculum and professional development, and activism.

Diane Lerma

Diane Lerma recently retired as an Assistant Professor in the Behavioral Sciences Department at Palo Alto College in San Antonio, Texas. She authored Catching Dreams: A Collection of Inspiring Mentor Stories (2013). Additionally, Diane has published numerous book reviews and research articles. She received the Yellow Rose of Texas Educator Award and NISOD Award for Teaching Excellence. Mrs. Lerma earned her Master Teacher certification in May 2018. She and her husband, David, have two grown sons. Her interests include reading, writing, and traveling.

Judie Garcia

Judie Garcia was born in Chicago to Mexican-American parents. She graduated from the University of Texas with a Bachelor of Arts in English. Her broadcasting career began at age 34 after working as a paralegal in international law for many years. Her first television job was at KMOL-TV (now WOAI-TV), the NBC affiliate in San Antonio, Texas. Later, she worked at KNTV in San Jose, California, as the news anchor for the 11:00 p.m. newscast. Ms. Garcia joined ABC-7 News in Chicago, where she worked as an anchor and reporter. In 2003, she worked and is now retired from WGN-TV in Chicago.