The Oregon Commission for Women (OCFW) proudly announces the recipients of the 2017 Women of Achievement Awards. These women are recognized for their outstanding leadership in promoting equity and diversity opportunities for women within their education and civic engagement service. The 2017 awardees, both trailblazers and an emerging leader, epitomize the Oregon State motto – “She Flies with Her Own Wings.”
It's notable that all women being honored represent diverse communities. Colors of Influence has had the honor of highlighting three of the women -- Dr. Erlinda Gonzales-Berry, Dr. Guadalupe Guajardo, and Anita Yap -- in story profiles that capture their indomitable spirit of service and resolve to advocate for equity and justice.
Dr. Erlinda Gonzales-Berry, scholar, educator, community leader and mentor, is recognized for a lifetime of work to increase equity and inclusion opportunities for Latina women in Oregon. As faculty member and chair of the Department of Ethnic Studies at Oregon State University, she contributed to expanding the body of knowledge about the diversity of Latino communities in Oregon. Her scholarly research culminated in the co-authored book, Mexicanos in Oregon: Their Stories, Their Lives, which gave voice to a community that is often ignored by history books. After her retirement from academia, she founded the non-profit center, Casa Latinos Unidos de Benton County, where she served as Executive Director for six years. She has worked tirelessly to develop leadership skills among Latina immigrant women in Benton County as they engage in public processes related to health, education and cultural initiatives. She serves as a mentor for Latina women in graduate studies who face personal and professional challenges as women of color in higher education. Dr. Erlinda Gonzales-Berry is a passionate Latina leader dedicated to providing leadership and mentoring opportunities to all Latina women, from immigrant to graduate student.
Read Dr. Gonzales-Berry's 2007 profile in Colors of Influence
Dr. Guadalupe Guajardo, SNJM, change agent, activist, trainer and coach, is recognized for a legacy of work built upon her family values of justice, community building, engagement and inclusion. She has spent more than 40 years as a bilingual and bicultural consultant for nonprofit organizations that work with marginalized communities. For almost three decades with the Nonprofit Association of Oregon (NAO), she traveled the state helping Latino communities and special interest groups develop nonprofit organizations. She is a cofounder of Tools for Diversity, a multicultural training team that works to solve problems caused by privilege, prejudice and oppression. She has championed women’s rights throughout the state by starting the Community Leaders Resource Project which helps to support women at the margins of society and turns them into confident women leaders. To ensure her work’s legacy, she founded Latina Associates for Collaborative Endeavors (LACE), a consortium of highly qualified Latina women professionals who deliver technical assistance and capacity building to non-profits across the state. Dr. Guadalupe Guajardo, a member of the religious order Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary of the U.S.-Ontario Province, is a community champion whose life-long work exemplifies outstanding leadership in civic engagement.
Read Dr. Guadalupe Guajardo's 2007 Colors of Influence profile.
Liliana Luna, trail blazer, educator, advocate and role model, is an emerging leader who demonstrates commitment to equity and inclusion for multicultural students, especially women of color. She is 26 years old, a DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) recipient, and a graduate student in counseling education at Portland State University. As the Coordinator of the Multicultural Center at Rock Creek Campus, Portland Community College (PCC), she is responsible for providing a safe and inclusive environment to support, retain and empower diverse students to help them achieve academic excellence and became leaders within the college and their communities. She leads the Diversity Council at PCC Rock Creek and has developed a partnership with the Mexican consulate to provide scholarships to undocumented and DACA students from Mexico. Her most recent accomplishment is opening the first Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Center at PCC Rock Creek, the first center of its kind in Oregon, which provides resources and support for undocumented and DACA students and their families. Liliana Luna is a mentor and role model to young Latina students, who empowers these women to achieve academic excellence and become the next generation of leaders, modeling her advocacy, commitment to education and community involvement.
Anita Yap, urban planner, community leader, change maker, and mentor, is a champion for promoting diverse, equitable and inclusive civic engagement models for communities and women of color. She is the founding partner of the Multicultural Collaborative, a small business consulting group that provides strategies and services to nonprofits, local governments, and businesses to engage with diverse communities for equity, capacity building, community visioning, urban design, and public policy advocacy. She actively promotes the status of women in Oregon through her work to advance opportunities for women of color in the workplace. She is the co-founder of a volunteer organization, Diversify the Workforce, which provides network opportunities for women of color in the Portland Metro area to gain coaching and mentoring support. She volunteers with nonprofits, local governments and businesses to sit on interview panels, consult on equity hiring practices, and review organizational policies. She has created much needed personal and professional spaces for women of color to support each other and to help one another advance in their careers. Anita Yap is a collaborative leader who is passionate about ensuring diversity, equity and inclusion for women and communities of color.
Read Anita Yap's 2017 Colors of Influence profile.
“Each of these women is a dynamic leader, advocate and role model with a strong record of service to women and the community. We are pleased to honor these extraordinary women of achievement,” OCFW Chair Dr. Barbara Ramírez Spencer commented.
The honorees will receive their awards in a ceremony to be held March 1, 2018, that will be part of the Women’s History Month proclamation signing by Governor Brown.
Since 1985 the Oregon Commission for Women has presented the Woman of Achievement Award to women in Oregon for leadership and success in their area of expertise, promoting the status of women in society, reflecting a commitment to equity and diversity, and serving as exemplary role models.
It's notable that all women being honored represent diverse communities. Colors of Influence has had the honor of highlighting three of the women -- Dr. Erlinda Gonzales-Berry, Dr. Guadalupe Guajardo, and Anita Yap -- in story profiles that capture their indomitable spirit of service and resolve to advocate for equity and justice.
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| Dr, Erlinda Gonzales-Berry |
Dr. Erlinda Gonzales-Berry, scholar, educator, community leader and mentor, is recognized for a lifetime of work to increase equity and inclusion opportunities for Latina women in Oregon. As faculty member and chair of the Department of Ethnic Studies at Oregon State University, she contributed to expanding the body of knowledge about the diversity of Latino communities in Oregon. Her scholarly research culminated in the co-authored book, Mexicanos in Oregon: Their Stories, Their Lives, which gave voice to a community that is often ignored by history books. After her retirement from academia, she founded the non-profit center, Casa Latinos Unidos de Benton County, where she served as Executive Director for six years. She has worked tirelessly to develop leadership skills among Latina immigrant women in Benton County as they engage in public processes related to health, education and cultural initiatives. She serves as a mentor for Latina women in graduate studies who face personal and professional challenges as women of color in higher education. Dr. Erlinda Gonzales-Berry is a passionate Latina leader dedicated to providing leadership and mentoring opportunities to all Latina women, from immigrant to graduate student.
Read Dr. Gonzales-Berry's 2007 profile in Colors of Influence
Read Dr. Guadalupe Guajardo's 2007 Colors of Influence profile.
Liliana Luna, trail blazer, educator, advocate and role model, is an emerging leader who demonstrates commitment to equity and inclusion for multicultural students, especially women of color. She is 26 years old, a DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) recipient, and a graduate student in counseling education at Portland State University. As the Coordinator of the Multicultural Center at Rock Creek Campus, Portland Community College (PCC), she is responsible for providing a safe and inclusive environment to support, retain and empower diverse students to help them achieve academic excellence and became leaders within the college and their communities. She leads the Diversity Council at PCC Rock Creek and has developed a partnership with the Mexican consulate to provide scholarships to undocumented and DACA students from Mexico. Her most recent accomplishment is opening the first Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Center at PCC Rock Creek, the first center of its kind in Oregon, which provides resources and support for undocumented and DACA students and their families. Liliana Luna is a mentor and role model to young Latina students, who empowers these women to achieve academic excellence and become the next generation of leaders, modeling her advocacy, commitment to education and community involvement.
Read Anita Yap's 2017 Colors of Influence profile.
“Each of these women is a dynamic leader, advocate and role model with a strong record of service to women and the community. We are pleased to honor these extraordinary women of achievement,” OCFW Chair Dr. Barbara Ramírez Spencer commented.
The honorees will receive their awards in a ceremony to be held March 1, 2018, that will be part of the Women’s History Month proclamation signing by Governor Brown.
Since 1985 the Oregon Commission for Women has presented the Woman of Achievement Award to women in Oregon for leadership and success in their area of expertise, promoting the status of women in society, reflecting a commitment to equity and diversity, and serving as exemplary role models.