Multicultural Educator Award

2025 Multicultural Educator of the Year:

Rafael Vázquez Guzmán

Rafael devotes a great deal of his own time and money volunteering with programs addressing the needs of troubled youth in our community. Rafael served in the board of directors of a non-profit organization that worked with troubled youth from 2004 to 2009. He provides many young men who are affiliated with gangs with resources to connect them with positive alternatives to gang life. Rafael worked for over ten years with a prison program that provided books to prisoners all throughout the United States. Rafael earned his AA/AS from Santa Rosa Junior College, along with five certificates in law related fields and went onto earn his BA degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology from Sonoma State University. In August of 2010, Rafael obtained his Masters degree from Sonoma State with an emphasis on Latinos and education. Rafael hosts a weekly radio show in Spanish that targeted first generation college students and parents to the educational opportunities and funding available to them in college. Rafael has taught at Sonoma State University’s Chicano and Latino Studies Department. He teaches in the Humanities Department at Santa Rosa Junior College full time. Rafael is the board president of Humanidad Therapy & Education Services that provides affordable and culturally appropriate therapeutic services to the Latinx community and other marginalized communities. Rafael is also the CEO/President of Lideres del Futuro Avanzando that provides services to migrant communities, which includes DACA recipients. Rafael has authored a book “Fulfilling the Dream: A Guide For Immigrant Parents and Allies Living in the U.S.” A Spanish version of the book is also available for immigrant parents.

About the Award

The Multicultural Educator Award honoree is any member of our SRJC college community, faculty, staff, or administrator, who has made significant contributions to multicultural education at SRJC. Specifically, an SRJC employee who has taken a leadership role in encouraging, supporting, or directly educating students, staff, or community members from diverse backgrounds, someone with a strong commitment to diversity, equity, inclusivity, accessibility, anti-racism, and/or providing multicultural education or programs to the students of Santa Rosa Junior College.

The award is presented every year at the Fall Professional Development Day.

Nominations

Each year a call for nominations goes out March with a deadline in April.

Previous Awardees:

Head shot of Dr. Purnur Ozbirinci. She is wearing glasses and smiling at the camera. Her hair is in an up-do and she is wearing short earrings and a black blouse.

2024, Dr. Purnur Ozbirinci, Faculty, English: Dr. Purnur Ozbirinci is a dedicated educator and advocate with a diverse range of specialties, including writing, literature, drama, critical thinking, gender studies, mythmaking, and equitable teaching practices. Her commitment to creating inclusive learning environments and promoting student success is evident through her roles as Puente Co-Coordinator, Cultivating an Ecosystem of Belonging Faculty Coordinator, and SLO Liaison. Additionally, her involvement in committees such as Courageous Leaders Academy (CLA), Middle Eastern/North African Heritage Month (MENAA), Women's History Month (WHM), and the English Department Online Committee further demonstrates her dedication to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion within academic spaces.

Head shot of Lori Laiwa Thomas. She is smiling at the camera. Her hair is long, brown, and curled with blond highlights. She is wearing red lipstick and abalone fish earrings and a black top.

2023, Lori Laiwa Thomas, Faculty, Ethnic Studies: Lori Laiwa Thomas (Enrolled Citizen of Hopland Band of Pomo Indians), is a Native American Studies Instructor-Tenure Track in the Ethnic Studies Department at SRJC. She currently is the faculty advisor for Inter-Tribal Student Union (ITSU) and American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) student organizations on campus.

2022, Regina Mahiri, Coordinator, Sawubona: Black Student Support Center: Bio coming soon

2021, Dr. Araceli Osorio, Faculty, World Languages: Dr. Osorio is a Spanish professor in the World Languages Department at Santa Rosa Junior College. With a strong commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and anti-racism, Dr. Osorio has taken an active leadership role in multicultural education. She created and organizes the annual World Languages Fair, an event that celebrates cultural diversity, promotes language learning, and connects SRJC students with the wider community. Guided by values of honesty, respect, and a deep commitment to doing what's right, Dr. Osorio fosters a welcoming and inclusive environment where all students feel seen, respected, and empowered to succeed. Her consistent efforts to support students from diverse backgrounds and provide culturally enriching experiences have made a lasting impact on the SRJC community. Honored with the Multicultural Educator Award, Dr. Osorio continues to inspire through integrity, dedication, and a genuine passion for student success.

2020, Byron Reaves, EOPS Counselor, Counseling Faculty: Bio coming soon

2019, Roberto Alvarado, Puente Counselor, Petaluma Counseling: Bio coming soon

2018, M. Liko Puha, Instructional Systems Administrator, Distance Education: For more than twenty years, Hawaiian cultural educator Liko Puha has shared his knowledge of Hawaiian language, chant, dance, philosophy, and spirituality in Hawaii and throughout the continental United States. Liko graduated from the University of Hawaii at Hilo with a Bachelor of Arts in Hawaiian Studies, and from the California State University East Bay with a Master of Science in Education. Currently living in Santa Rosa, Liko is self-described as an Urban Native Hawaiian Techie-Type passionate about teaching and learning in all its forms.

picture of Jerry thao looking at the camera. She has wavy hair, glasses, and a blue blazer

2017, Jerry Thao, Counseling Faculty: Born and raised in Stockton, California, Jerry Thao is the daughter of Hmong refugees. A proud product of the public education system, Jerry holds degrees from San Joaquin Delta College (A.A. in Humanities), UC Davis (B.A. in U.S. History), and San Francisco State University (M.S. in Counseling). As a dedicated community college counselor and educator, Jerry is passionate about multicultural counseling, career development, and student empowerment through her work with the APASS learning community.

picture of Dr. Brenda Flyshwithhawks smiling at the camera. Has long black hair and a white collar shirt

2016, Dr. Brenda Flyswithhawks, Behavioral Sciences Faculty: Bio coming soon

2015, Chris Vasquez, Exhibition Specialist, SRJC Art Museum: Bio coming soon

2014, Lauren Servais, English Faculty: Bio coming soon

picture of a Laura Larque with glasses, short hair, and a white shirt smiling at the camera

2013, Laura Larque, Social Science Faculty: Laura Larqué was born and raised in Mexico City. She received a BA in Sociology from the University of Mexico, she received a MA in History from Sonoma State University. Larqué has worked to make culture relevant to SRJC and to transform curriculum to reflect the students’ ethnic and cultural diversity. Her goal has been to make SRJC into a transformative Student Agency.