A mi amiga Sandra Gutiérrez

 

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of Communications

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMarch 27, 2014

 

White House Highlights Cesar E. Chavez “Champions of Change”

 

WASHINGTON, DC – On Monday, March 31st, the White House will honor 10 community leaders who embody the spirit of Cesar E. Chavez’ legacy. Each of the Cesar Chavez Champions of Change have committed themselves to improving the lives of others in their communities and across the country. At the core, all of our honorees represent the values and steadfast determination of Cesar Chavez to organize ourselves for a more just tomorrow.

 

These recognitions are part of the Administration’s effort to celebrate Chavez’ extraordinary commitment to a lifetime of service. At a screening of the new feature film Cesar Chavez, President Obama reflected on Chavez’ legacy stating, “One of the great lessons of Cesar’s life (is) that you don’t give up the fight. No matter how long it takes, no matter how long the odds, you keep going, fueled by a simple creed – si se puede.” As part of the Administration-wide effort to celebrate Cesar Chavez Day, President Obama signed a presidential proclamation calling on all Americans to recognize the birth of one of America’s greatest champions of social justice by engaging in service.

 

During the Champions of Change event, White House officials will recognize the Champions’ hard work and lead a discussion about how to advance, expand and develop resources and partnerships that will continue to improve the lives of all Americas, including Latinos.

 

The Champions of Change program was created as an opportunity for the White House to feature individuals doing extraordinary things to empower and inspire members of their communities.

 

The event will be moderated by Lisa Garcia Quiroz, Chief Diversity Officer and Senior Vice President of Corporate Responsibility at Time Warner Inc., and Marco Davis, Deputy Director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics. The event is closed to press but will be live streamed on the White House website. To watch this event live, visit www.whitehouse.gov/live at 10:00 AM ET on March 31st. To learn more about the White House Champions of Change program and nominate a Champion, visit www.whitehouse.gov/champions.

 

Sandra Gutierrez, National Director of Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors

Los Angeles, CA

 

Sandra Gutierrez is the National Program Director of Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors (AP/OD), the nation’s first, evidence-based comprehensive training program for Latino parents with children aged 0-5. Ms. Gutierrez led the development of the AP/OD program and curriculum, which is designed with parent input and uses the “popular education” approach to engage parents in lessons that authentically reflect their culture, communities and experiences. Since its launch in Los Angeles in 2007, AP/OD has trained over 1,000 facilitators in more than 400 family-serving organizations and has provided its curriculum to over 30,000 families in 256 cities across the country. Results from a 2012 independent evaluation demonstrate that participants make significant gains in parenting skills and knowledge, and become advocates for their children and families. Prior to joining Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors, Ms. Gutierrez’s expansive career included founding the first service organization to assist Central American Refugees, developing health education programs for agricultural workers, leading campaigns to promote preschool in the Latino community, and serving as State Commissioner for First 5 California.