MISSION &
VISION
Mission
Rooted in and inspired by San Antonio’s legacy, the Mexican American Civil Rights Institute (MACRI) is the premier national organization dedicated to chronicling and advancing the Mexican American community’s civil rights efforts in the U.S.
Vision
The Mexican American Civil Rights Institute envisions communities where all Americans are inspired by the Mexican American civil rights legacy and see themselves as participants and transformational leaders in the ongoing struggle for social justice, inclusion and equity.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Civil rights are an expansive and significant set of rights designed to protect individuals from unfair treatment. For the Mexican American community, they are the rights of individuals to receive equal treatment and be free from discrimination including in the areas of education, employment, voting, housing, public accommodations, immigration, economic opportunity, as well as on the basis of race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexuality, and more. We strongly believe that all individuals should be treated with dignity and respect and are part of our common humanity.
Hover over or click one of the historic images below to reveal MACRI's 5 Guiding Principles
Images courtesy of UTSA Special Collections
CONOZCA
EL
MACRI
Fundado en 2019, el Instituto de Derechos Civiles Mexicano Americanos (MACRI) es un instituto nacional ubicado en Our Lady of the Lake University, en San Antonio, Tejas. Enraizada en e inspirado por el legado de San Antonio, el MACRI es la principal organización nacional dedicada a la crónica y el avance de los esfuerzos de derechos civiles de la comunidad mexicana americana en los EE.UU. El MACRI visualiza comunidades donde todos los estadounidenses se inspiran en el legado de derechos civiles de los mexicanos americanos y se ven a sí mismos como participantes y líderes transformadores en la lucha continua por la justicia social, la inclusión y la equidad.
Nosotros compartiremos recursos, artículos, videos, programación y otra información importante para nuestra comunidad a través de nuestras cuentas de redes sociales. Así que sigue y conéctate con el MACRI en línea. También animamos a las personas, familias, empresas, fundaciones y otras organizaciones a hacer una contribución que ayude a asegurar el futuro financiero de este instituto.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Sarah Zenaida Gould, PhD
She | Her | Hers
Dr. Gould is a longtime public historian and museum worker. She was formerly founding director of the Museo del Westside, a community participatory museum, and lead curatorial researcher
at the UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures, both in San Antonio. She serves on the boards of the Latinos in Heritage Conservation and the Friends of the Texas Historical Commission, on the council of the American Association of State and Local History, and is an Advisor for the National Trust of Historic Preservation. She received a BA in American Studies from Smith College and an MA and PhD in American Culture from the University of Michigan.
BOARD & COUNCIL MEMBERS
MACRI is fortunate to have a group of talented and nationally recognized civic leaders and scholars with expertise in the areas of higher education, bilingual education, K-12 and higher education administration, early childhood development, fund development and civil rights history. With a combined professional experience of more than 200 years, the Board also includes members with experience in research and evaluation, organizational design and implementation, marketing, health, and museum curating. Board members also have experience in managing large systems and institutions as well as establishing new organizations, and have led and served on local, state and national boards that advocate for equal rights in the areas of historical preservation, good government, immigration, civil right, voting rights and equal educational opportunity.
Robert Garza, PhD
Board Chair
President
Alamo Colleges District - Palo Alto College
Ezequiel Peña, PhD
Board Treasurer
Associate Professor
Our Lady of the Lake University
Rosie Castro
Board Member
Consultant
Gloria Rodriguez, PhD
Board Member
Founder, Former President/CEO
AVANCE
Gilberto S. Ocañas
Board Vice Chair
Chief Executive Officer
Ocañas Group
William T. Avila, J.D.
Board Member
Partner
Bracewell
Celina Peña
Board Member
President
IN/TEND
Olga Garza Kauffman
Board Secretary
Health Consultant
Marisa Bono, J.D.
Board Member
Attorney
Stephen Pitti, PhD
Board Member
Scholars Council Chair
Professor
Yale University
Lilliana Patricia Saldaña, PhD
Board Member
Associate Professor
University of Texas at San Antonio
NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL
Gilberto S. Ocañas
National Advisory Council Chair
Nora Dempsey
National Advisory Council Member
Erika Prosper
National Advisory Council Vice-Chair
Cecilia Elizondo Herrera
National Advisory Council Member
Eduardo Berain
National Advisory Council Member
Victor Miramontes
National Advisory Council Member
SCHOLARS COUNCIL
Stephen Pitti, PhD
Scholars Council Chair
Professor
Yale University
Gilberto Cardenas, PhD
Scholars Council Member
Professor Emeritus
University of Notre Dame
Mark Ocegueda, PhD
Scholars Council Member
Mellon Gateway Postdoctoral Fellow
Brown University
Mike Amezcua, PhD
Scholars Council Member
Assistant Professor
Georgetown University
Maria Cotera, PhD
Scholars Council Member
Associate Professor
University of Texas at Austin
Maggie Rivas-Rodriguez, PhD
Scholars Council Member
Associate Professor
University of Texas at Austin
Kathryn Blackmer Reyes
Scholars Council Member
Librarian
San Jose State University
Tey Mariana Nunn, PhD
Scholars Council Member
Associate Director of Content and Interpretation
National Museum of the American Latino
Smithsonian Institution
George Sanchez, PhD
Scholars Council Member
Professor
University of Southern California
Carolina Villarroel, PhD
Scholars Council Member
Director of Research
Recovering the US Hispanic Literary Heritage Project
University of Houston
JOIN THE PATRONATO!
The Patronato is a centuries-old tradition in the Americas that brings together a community’s leading citizens to support charitable, cultural, and patriotic initiatives. The MACRI Patronato invites individuals and families to contribute to the long-term sustainability of the organization with a contribution of $1,000. To become a founding member of the MACRI Patronato, click here.
If you would like more information about the MACRI Patronato, submit your email below and a member of our team will contact you with more information.
PARTNERS
UPCOMING EVENTS
STAY UP TO DATE!
Sign up for the MACRI Newsletter to receive information on our programming, resources, news, and efforts to chronicle and advance the Mexican American community’s civil rights efforts in the U. S.
STAY CONNECTED
MACRI shares resources, articles, videos, programming, and other important information for our community through our social media accounts. Please be sure to follow and connect with MACRI online.
YouTube
For more information, contact us via email at info@somosmacri.org
Founded in 2019, the Mexican American Civil Rights Institute (MACRI), formerly the National Institute of Mexican American History of Civil Rights, is a national institute located in San Antonio, Texas, a cradle for Mexican American civil rights leadership and organizations.
Mexican American Civil Rights Institute
PO Box 12085
San Antonio, TX 78212
210-810-4093
Copyright © 2025
Mexican American Civil Rights Institute
All rights reserved.
MAKE A CONTRIBUTION
MACRI is building its collections of Mexican American civil rights artifacts to better serve the public and educational community. Click below to find out how to submit an artifact for consideration.
MACRI offers many ways to support this first-of-its-kind national institute. We encourage individuals, families, businesses, foundations, and other organizations to make a contribution that will help ensure MACRI's financial future.