2025 Equity Champion Awards
This year's Equity Champions will be honored at an event on Wednesday, June 11, from 2-3:30 p.m. in Conference Rooms A&B of the Campus Center.
And the winners are ...
- Matsuko Estrada Nakamatsu – Student
- Jamie Pelusi – Faculty Member
- Shaila Ramos-Garcia – Classified Professional
- Lydia Hearn – Administrator
- Higher Education for AB 540 Students (HEFAS) – Program
Please read below to see why each of these winners is an equity champion!
Matsuko Estrada Nakamatsu – Student
Matsuko is a third-year English and Humanities major whose work with HEFAS, the ESL Club and DASG has centered undocumented, low-income and first-generation students. As a mixed Peruvian-Okinawan immigrant, she founded a nonprofit resource center from her home to uplift students who, like her, come from the margins. Through storytelling, advocacy and community, Matsuko continues to break generational chains and redefine what leadership looks like.
Jamie Pelusi – Faculty Member
Jamie Pelusi is a queer educator, artist and community worker who's been faculty coordinator
of De Anza's Pride Center since it opened in 2022. They've been working in education,
service-learning (locally and internationally) and community-based arts for the past
15 years. The central throughline in their work is a passion for supporting students
and creating spaces for them to be their full and authentic selves. They humbly walk
in the footsteps of all the amazing organizers and educators who came before them
and are working to continue to ensure that De Anza is a campus that supports, uplifts
and fully recognizes the amazing spirit of our 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
Shaila Ramos-Garcia – Classified Professional
Shaila Ramos-García is the undocumented student support and UndocuSTEM program coordinator
and co-founder of HEFAS. She is a culture maker, activist, poet, educator and leader
within the immigrant community. For the last 16 years, she has dedicated her career
to become an equity practitioner and expert on higher education access for undocumented
students. She believes in fighting for social justice and leading from a place of
empathy.
Lydia Hearn – Administrator
Lydia Hearn has served in a variety of administrative and faculty roles over her past
25 years at De Anza – including interim vice president of Instruction, interim associate
vice president of Instruction, interim Language Arts Division dean, Puente co-coordinator,
and English instructor. In all of her roles on campus, she has kept equity at the
core of her decision making and has developed programs and initiatives that help provide
access and resources for students from historically underserved populations including
co-founding the REACH program, reinstitutionalizing the Sankofa Scholars Program (now
Umoja), being instrumental in the creation of a Pride Center, securing space for the
Ethnic and Pride Inclusion Center in the new Services for Students Building, co-developing
Guided Pathways Villages, and co-developing professional development opportunities
for employees that amplify students' voices.
Higher Education for AB 540 Students (HEFAS) – Program
HEFAS was started for and by students in 2012. Ever since, HEFAS students have been
leaders in advocacy, access and education regarding undocumented student support in
higher education. HEFAS students have started new programs such as UndocuSTEM, planned
yearly conferences and events, provided resources and advocated for student rights
and needs. Their power lies in their resilience in the face of fear and challenges:
Undocumented and Unafraid!
Award Criteria
We recognize that there are multiple ways of demonstrating commitment to these values. The following are examples of ways that nominees may exemplify their commitment to equity:
- Promoting a deeper understanding of equity by advancing best practices in their respective office or program
- Exhibiting leadership qualities in their work through collaboration, courageous conversations, inclusion through an intersectional lens, and fosters accountability.
- Prioritizes student needs and advocates for systemic and institutional change to address them to ensure equitable opportunities.
- Serves as a creative and equity-minded decision-maker in the shared governance process
- Fosters practices that help bridge the student equity gaps
The individual or team being nominated should also embody the spirit and principles reflected in the above criteria.
For more information, please contact EquityOffice@deanza.edu or 408-864-5636.