Presenter: Israel Ruiz
“The coordinator for the Program in Women’s and Gender Studies is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the office, organizing programming, and maintaining the budget. But her efforts go well beyond her job description thanks to her broad and deep commitment to issues related to gender, race, sexual orientation, and disability. She has spearheaded initiatives that explore the intersections of race and sexuality, coordinated Stop the Violence events, and created a citywide film festival that highlights the broad diversity of women’s experience. She took the lead in organizing a workshop last fall on creating safe spaces for LGBTQ students in the classroom and is a mentor to students in the Latino Students Organization. She also remains ever-aware of the needs of community members with disabilities, working to ensure that accessibility for all program-sponsored events is well-publicized. According to one nominator, ‘Her tireless commitment to equality for all is integrated into her every action. She is a model and an inspiration.’
“Congratulations, Heidy Gonzalez.”