Day 3: Our Struggles, Our Histories, Our Ethnic Studies: Building a Grassroots Ethnic Studies Curriculum in Santa Cruz County

Speaker Bios:

Cheryl M. Williams is a long-time resident of Santa Cruz County, recently retired after a long career working for the Santa Cruz County Administrative Offices. During her tenure, she was an active member of SEIU, serving on the Board of Directors in many roles. Prior to moving to Santa Cruz County, Cheryl lived in the South End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. She attended Boston University, where she pursued her passion for biology, recognizing the importance of having a visual representation of having a Black woman in the role of scientist. Cheryl’s social activism was sparked at the age of 13 when her mother gave her the book 100 Years of Lynching by Ralph Ginzburg, chronicling the lynching of 5,000 American Black men and 10 women through photographs, newspaper articles, and posters. Upon recognizing the atrocious events contained in the book, she chose instead to learn about how the Black community pushed back rather than how they were victimized. Currently, Cheryl is the Executive Director of Santa Cruz Black, a Black-led grassroots organization dedicated to empowering the Black community across generations and intersectionalities. Her work focuses on housing affordability, wealth generation, and mental wellness. Her vision is to see a more inclusive community free of the stressors brought upon by racial injustice.

Chris Davis is a Midwesterner turned Californian. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, he moved to California to attend Stanford, studied linguistics, and began his first experience in nonprofit development working at the Stanford Fund. He left California and worked in hospitality management in New York City and Miami Beach before returning to California. He worked for two start-ups where he gained small business marketing and mobile app development experience before stepping foot in food service in San Jose. After moving to Santa Cruz County and meeting his partner, he's now one-half of the food business, My Mom's Mole, and co-founder of Santa Cruz Black.

Omar Dieguez is a local activist, mentor, and leader. He attended Aptos High, where he fought for and led various movements on campus, including the fight against Opposition 187, the fight against segregation and racism at Aptos High, and the establishment of MEChA on campus. He was the first Chicano school president and he ran on a slate to inaugurate Chicano studies into the curriculum. Omar continues the fight for Ethnic Studies, justice, and the next generation. His commitment to cultura and Indigenous teachings empowers students to create a more equitable world. Today, he works at Barrios Unidos where he serves as the youth outreach specialist and mentor.

Elias (Eli) Gonzales is the Training and Site Manager at MILPA. He is the son of Emidio and Graciela, both from the state of Michoacan. He is blessed to be the father of Eliana and Elias and the proud grandfather of Jaliyah. He was born, raised, and continues to be a proud resident of the beautiful town of Watsonville. He attended Cabrillo College and CSU Monterey Bay and brings over 20 years of non-profit and civic experience. He has committed his career to working with marginalized and incarcerated communities. He was part of the groundbreaking efforts in Santa Cruz County to promote alternatives to incarceration while seeking to eliminate racial disparities in the youth justice system. Furthermore, his cultural background and street experience gives him a unique facilitation skill set that makes his workshops accessible to a diverse audience of stakeholders

Dioscoro “Roy” Recio, Jr. is a native of Watsonville and the son and grandson of early manong. Recio’s extensive network in the Filipino community comes by way of his twenty years of experience as a community advocate in the San Francisco Bay Area. Recio has worked for and collaborated with organizations such as the Manilatown Heritage Foundation, the Bayanihan Center, the International Hotel, and the SIEU-USWW, the baggage handlers’ union at San Francisco International Airport. Recio founded The Tobera Project, a grassroots community organization working to raise the stories of migrant Filipinos of the Central Coast and of Fermin Tobera, the farmworker murdered during the 1930s Watsonville riots. He serves as the Watsonville is in the Heart community leader and advisor.

Silvia Morales is Executive Director of the Resource Center for Nonviolence (RCNV) in Santa Cruz, and exemplifies transformative leadership in nonviolence and civil rights advocacy, particularly within the Latinx community. With degrees from the New College of California, including a Juris Doctorate, Morales has seamlessly integrated rigorous academic training with robust community activism. Since 2020, she has spearheaded innovative antiracism programming at RCNV, significantly expanding its influence both locally and online. Her work has deeply rooted RCNV’s practices in racial healing and systemic change. Morales also contributes strategically to various boards, influencing public policy and educational reforms, underscoring her commitment to justice and community building. Her leadership not only advances nonviolence but also paves sustainable paths for future advocacy.