Our Legacy and Our Vision

Becoming La Casita Cultural Center

Student-Led Advocacy
The idea for a cultural center focused on Latine and Chicano students emerged through years of student activism and community support. In 1984, the Hispanic Concerns Task Force, appointed by President Robert Dickeson, formally proposed the creation of the center.

Founders and Leaders
Many voices helped shape the center’s beginnings, including Mr. Ray Romero (Center for Human Enrichment), Mr. Carlos Leal (Hispanic Studies), Dr. Roberto Cordova, Dr. Maria Lopez (Hispanic Studies), and Tony Carvajal (College of Education). Their work led to the establishment of what was originally called the Hispanic Cultural Center.

After the committee found the perfect location, they decided on the name of “The Hispanic Cultural Center” which would later be changed to the César Chávez Cultural Center.

A New Future

In 2026, a task force made up of students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members recommended the renaming of the center, and in June it was officially renamed La Casita Cultural Center.