Ricardo Tonatiuh Rocha, Metropolitan State University of Denver

Ricardo Tonatiuh Rocha consistently demonstrates leadership and a commitment to social justice and change for the common good. He has worked tirelessly both on and off campus to create opportunity and to ensure justice, in particular to Latino students. He has mentored students in the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) and in Brother 2 Brother, a mutual support group of male students of color. He perceived the need on campus for a student group of and for undocumented immigrants and consequently worked to build support for the establishment of RISE, a recognized student group that supports and empowers DACA, ASSET, refugee, and undocumented students. Ricardo has extended his commitment to social justice to the community at large through his fellowship at the Colorado Latino Leadership, Advocacy, and Research Organization (CLLARO), and his leadership has been recognized by an appointment by Governor John Hickenlooper to the Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Advisory Council for the state of Colorado. Ricardo is a true believer in the power of the human spirit to do good for all of humankind.
-Steven Jordan, President

In college, I was given the opportunity to give back to my community. I was given the freedom to do more, be more, and to lead, and too explore areas of leadership beyond those I already understood. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to mentor students with diverse cultural backgrounds, instilling leadership, political activism, and civic engagement to the best of my abilities. I’ve mentored students from the College Assistance Migrant Program, the Metro Summer Scholars Program, the Brother to Brother Program, and other “at-risk-youth” programs over the last 4 years at MSU Denver. I helped establish RISE, a campus organization focused on supporting and empowering DACA, ASSET, refugee and undocumented students. As I explored what my future would look like, I found myself working closely with our state’s most vulnerable communities, through the Colorado Latino Leadership Advocacy and Research Organization, the State Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Council, and in Adams County District 14, with the Office of Civil Rights and the Department of Education on addressing institutional racism. I’ve use my experiences, my passion and love for my community to ensure they receive the services they need to achieve great things, to be more and do more if they wish.  
-Ricardo Rocha-Rangel