Latinx Heritage Month

Eddie Vega

A Professor of Learning Framework and Student Development Program at Palo Alto College, where she has taught and held various positions for over 30 years. During her tenure at PAC, Dr. Yolanda Reyna has served as a Licensed Professional Counselor, Coordinator of the Equity Program, Director of the Returning Adult Center, Chair of Counseling and Student Development, and Lead Instructor for the Learning Framework and Student Development Program in the Behavioral Sciences Department and Instructor for Catch the Next/Ascender Program.

She has also served as an advisor for Palo Alto College Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. She has participated in numerous conference presentations, workshops, and institutes. She has received many awards, including Phi Theta Kappa Outstanding Advisor Award, Palo Alto College Mariana Ornelas Trailblazer Award, Catch the Next Trailblazer Award, NISOD Awards, the Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education Distinguished College Faculty Award, and the West San Antonio Chamber of Commerce 7th Annual Doctoral Achievement Award.

Dr. Reyna strives to instill the value of life-long learning in her students. She teaches the value of education as a powerful tool to guide them through life experiences and direct a path to their destination. Dr. Reyna instills in her students that knowledge is the key to understanding the world and transforming oneself and society.

Melissa H. Mejia, M.A., LPC-S, is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Texas. In 2009, she earned a Bachelor's degree in Public Administration with a minor in Political Science from Texas State University. Melissa completed her Master of Arts in Guidance and Counseling from Texas A&M University-San Antonio in 2013.

Melissa has been a dedicated counselor, providing compassionate care to adolescents, young adults, and families, with a commitment to creating a safe environment that encourages growth throughout the therapeutic process. Her work is driven by a passion for fostering well-being and creating a nurturing environment where individuals feel seen, heard, and validated.

Currently serving as a Personal Counselor at Palo Alto College, Melissa provides personal counseling to college students, helping them navigate the complexities of academic life, personal development, and emotional well-being. In addition to her role as a Personal Counselor, she is deeply engaged in advocacy efforts on campus. This includes programs and initiatives that promote mental health awareness, basic needs resources, and education.

Melissa enjoys traveling, watching captivating series, and spending time with loved ones, including her husband and two daughters.

Dr. Irene I. Blea

Dr. Irene I. Blea is an award-winning author and a New Mexico native. She has a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Colorado-Boulder and is an award-winning academic and a New Mexico Humanities Council Scholar.

Dr. Blea retired as a tenured Professor and Chairperson of Mexican American Studies at California State University-Los Angeles. She is the author of seven textbooks analyzing race and gender relations for university classroom use, over 40 academic and popular articles, four poetry chapbooks, a book of poetry, and five novels.

Her poetry book, Dragonfly, is a spiritual guide to healing from racism, sexism, and class discrimination. She will soon re-release her trilogy under one cover: Suzann, Poor People’s Flowers, and Beneath the SuperMoon.

Dr. Blea’s book, Daughters of the West Mesa, is a bestselling book based on the true story of the discovery of 11 female remains and an unborn fetus buried in the desert west of Albuquerque, and is instrumental in keeping the unsolved serial killing in the public eye and attention to the sexual trafficking of indigenous women. This publication was recognized in 2015 as Best of Albuquerque’s by Albuquerque: the Magazine.

Dr. Blea currently writes daily and maintains a strong online presence. She is a featured speaker at conferences, universities, and annual meetings. Her other books include Talking with Rudy, which includes platicas con Rudolfo Anaya, author of Bless Me, Ultima, and her autobiography, Erené with Wolf Medicine.

Dr. Blea’s academic career has many notable accomplishments: she was the first female Chairperson of the National Association of Chicano Studies, a Regional Representative for the states of Colorado and New Mexico, and is referred to as “the Xicana novelist of these times by Beva Sanchez-Padilla, SouthWest Organizing Project, SWOP, and the World March of Women Organizer.

Fernando Andrade

Fernando Andrade was born in 1987 in the border town of Acuña, Mexico, and has lived in San Antonio, Texas, since he was seven years old.

As a Latinx artist, he focuses on two primary bodies of work: figurative drawings and abstract paintings. While his drawings convey narratives, his paintings are more improvisational, and both explore his cross-cultural identity.

In his representational drawings, Fernando creates narratives that raise awareness about border violence, gun culture, and mental health. In one of his first series, "God Bless America," he highlighted American gun culture by overlaying intricately detailed images of branches over barely visible slogans. In another series, "La Ruta" (The Route), he depicted Mexican travel buses to illustrate the importance of connecting individuals and places, fostering a multicultural and vibrant community.

In his paintings, he constructs abstract spaces and representational scenes that express freedom and emotion. In his recent work, "Suspended Thoughts," he reflected on the mental state during the pandemic. By utilizing contrasting mediums, he aimed to capture mental health struggles, creating a pause in time through the depiction of suspended bodies in an abstract space.

Fernando continuously explores new mediums and ideas that allow him to delve deeper into the intricate layers of his identity and the complexities of his personal migrant experience.

Andy Alvarez is a native of San Antonio and an alumnus of South San Antonio High School. Andy is a retired U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sergeant, Senior Enlisted Leader, with over 30 years of distinguished service in military aviation operations, military and civilian leadership, and workforce development.

During his military career, Andy led, mentored, and coached military and civilian personnel within the aviation operations supporting F-16, C-5s, C-130s, and B-2 aircraft and backshop support functions. Andy served across various states, Texas, New Mexico, Missouri, and the U.S. Territory of Guam. He served at Zaragoza Air Base, Torrejon Air Base, Rota Naval Station, Spain, and Ramstein Air Base, Germany. He gained a wealth of experiences and valuable relationships during his numerous temporary duty travels across the world.

Andy has provided aviation maintenance, maintenance training, and operations training expertise to nations such as Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia, Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Jordan, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia.

Following his military career, he built and led a successful small business focused on providing consulting services to various companies. Andy served as a program manager for the Royal Saudi Air Force English Language Training, moved to a USAF Advanced Technology Aviation Training System, and, more recently, helped create an Aim High Flight Academy national youth aviation outreach program, training over 1200 pilot trainees and inspiring students to consider aviation careers. His experience spans strategic program design, stakeholder engagement, and mentorship—bridging military, entrepreneurial innovation, and real-world program management to help the next generation connect education with career opportunities.

Andy earned a Master's Degree in Organizational Management and Leadership, a Master's Degree in Organizational Procurement and Acquisition Management, and a Master's Degree Certificate in Project Management Program from Webster University.

Andy is married to Ms. Marina, a native of Zaragoza, Spain. Andy and Marina have two daughters, both Texas A&M College Station Graduates. Andy enjoys traveling, visiting Spain, fishing, riding bicycles, reading, and meeting people.

Isaac "Papa Bear" Alvarez Cardenas, M.S.

Isaac is a member of the Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan (Qua-wheel-tek-can) Nation. He was born to his mother Auroa, an Apache (Inde)/Comanche (Namina), and his late Coahuiltecan father, Dan Hernandez Cardenas, a Veteran of World War II.

"Papa Bear" was raised in the inner-city West Side of San Antonio, Texas. Isaac is the father of two adult sons, Michael Isaac and Jason Adam, who are married to Marissa. He is also a Grandfather to Nicholas and Kylee Anabelle. He has been married to his high school sweetheart, Sylvia Ann, for 48 years.

Isaac is currently a senior consultant and a co-founder of the American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Mission’s “Healing the Wounded Spirit” Program. He also conceptualized Avance’s “Fatherhood” project in 1988.

Isaac is a graduate of Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio with a Master of Science in Psychology. He has worked as a Mental Health Therapist with children and families at Mental Health Clinics in the city. Isaac has chosen to reside in the inner city, working with high-risk minorities, families, and youth for over twenty years.

His purpose is to help strengthen the families in the community, veterans, by providing culturally competent spiritual support, mental wellness, and emotional enlightenment.