By Bryan Chavez
Long Beach State alumni and pro-immigrant activist Armando Vazquez-Ramos died on Aug. 4; he was 74 years old.
While filling out her paperwork to run for a school board position, Marisol Cruz reached for her phone to call her longtime friend and former professor, Armando Vazquez-Ramos. Following several unanswered calls, Cruz called his daughter who informed her that he died.
At that moment, Cruz felt her support system was gone.
“It was such an emotional moment, knowing that while I was preparing to continue my leadership role in my beloved community, I was also processing the loss of someone who had a tremendous impact on my life,” Cruz said.
Vazquez-Ramos, also known as “El Profe,” was the co-founder of CSULB’s Chicano and Latino Studies department. He is known for his energy and passion for helping the Latino community.
Growing up in the 1960s as a Mexican immigrant, Vazquez-Ramos was driven by a vision for change.
As an undergrad, Vazquez-Ramos and other Chicano students used their voices to pressure the university into creating a Chicano Studies program.
As one of the few Latinos who attended CSULB at the time, he and his cohort fought for more representation.
“This is part of his legacy, the fact that we have Chicano and Latino studies,” Associate Professor Jose F. Moreno said.
CSULB alumni Armando Vazquez-Ramos’ backyard mural, “A Timeless Struggle for Prosperity” is meant to show the history between California and Mexico, and break the stigma of immigrants being thieves and drug dealers. Courtesy: Barbara Kingsley-Wilson
Vazquez-Ramos was the voice for the underrepresented, and his desire to see his community succeed urged him to push boundaries for the Latino community.
In 2014, Vazquez-Ramos and his daughter, Luz Vazquez-Ramos, helped undocumented students travel and study abroad without fear through the use of advance parole permits.
Vazquez-Ramos was awarded the Key to Mexico City by Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, now the president-elect of Mexico, for his lifelong commitment.
“His influence extended far beyond the classroom, creating a legacy in the lives of those he mentored,” Cruz said.
One of Vazquez-Ramos’ indirect accomplishments included having one of his students, Karina Ruiz, become the first Dreamer elected into Mexico’s Senate.
In 2010, Vazquez-Ramos established the non-profit organization California-Mexico Studies Center.
According to the organization’s website, its goal is to “research, develop, promote, and establish policies and exchange programs with and between higher educational institutions, governmental agencies, and social organizations in California and Mexico.”
A memorial for Vazquez-Ramos will be held during the LEAD Summit at California State University, San Bernardino on Sept. 27.
