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.
INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Sarah Zenaida Gould, PhD
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.
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
BOARD &
NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL
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.
Paul F. Ruiz, PhD
Board Chair
Principal Partner, Emeritus
The Education Trust, Inc
Marisa Bono, J.D.
Board Member
Chief Strategy Officer
VIA Metropolitan Transit
Ezequiel Peña, PhD
Board Secretary
Associate Professor
Our Lady of the Lake University
Gloria G. Rodriguez, PhD
Board Vice-Chair
Founder, Former President/CEO
AVANCE
Robert Garza, PhD
Board Member
President
Alamo Colleges District - Palo Alto College
Lilliana Patricia Saldaña, PhD
Board Member
Associate Professor and Program Director Mexican American Studies Race, Ethnicity, Gender and Sexuality Studies Department
University of Texas at San Antonio
Adriana Abundis
Board Member
Public School Educator
Olga Garza Kauffman
Board Treasurer
Health Consultant
Velma Vela Ybarra
Board Member
Lifelong Educator & Education Advocate
Cecilia Elizondo Herrera
Erika Prosper
Board Member
National Advisory Council Chair
National Advisory Council Vice-Chair
Stephen Pitti, PhD
Board Member
Scholars Council Chair
JOIN THE PATRONATO!
Patronato is a centuries old tradition in the Americas that brought together a community’s leading citizens to support charitable, cultural and patriotic initiatives. The MACRI Patronato is being organized to provide long-term endowment funds to ensure sustainability for generations to come. If you are interested in being a founding member of 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 will share resources, articles, videos, programming, and other important information for our community through our social media accounts. So 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 housed at Our Lady of the Lake University, in San Antonio, Texas, an incubator for many of our city’s Mexican American leaders and a committed partner in the ongoing struggle for civil rights.
Mexican American Civil Rights Institute
Our Lady of the Lake University
411 SW 24th St
San Antonio, TX 78207
Copyright © 2020
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.