Guadaloupe Rodriguez Corona

Multicultural Leader

Living Legacy Award 2001

"When you educate a Chicana, you empower an entire generation".

Guadaloupe is a first generation Chicana of Mexican descent. Her mother is from Culiacan, Sinaloa and her father from Autl'an, Jalisco. She is the oldest of four and the first to go to college. She is the second in her generation to receive a bachelor's (Mexican American Studies with a Minor in Women's Studies) and the first of fifty-two cousins to receive a masters (Leadership Studies-Thesis topic: Soulful Chicana Voices in Leadership). Currently, Guadaloupe is pursuing her doctorate in Leadership Studies at the University of San Diego. She is a single parent with a son, Endo Javier Rosales who is six years old.

The decisive turning point of her in her life came at the age of 15 when she went to a M.E.Ch.A. (Movemento Estudiantil Chicana/o Azlan) High School Conference at San Diego State University. It was there that she learned about going to college. She received a booklet that showed the type of courses she needed to go to college. The following week she went to see her counselor and had him change her classes. At first he resisted, then he told her that he didn't want to do that because she was going to get married, pregnant and work picking avocados the rest of her life. It was then that she threatened him that her mother would come to speak to the principal. He then said ok, "but remember, I told you, you are going to fail and become pregnant."

It was through this life changing experience, which inspired Guadaloupe to work for the betterment of women and then the community. She is co-founder of Association of Chicana Activists at San Diego State University and the University of San Diego. It was through AChA that collectively as women, they re-affirmed the need to mentor, support and motivate each other to reach their potential. Guadalupe has lots of challenges as a Chicana, mother, student and single parent. She believes that we are architects of our destiny, that we can build the road to our future by hard work and having a big heart to fight against social injustices.

Guadaloupe has had a history of activism in the Latina/o community by organizing, volunteering and developing programs to empower the community to seek self -determination. Corona is actively involved with the Centro Cultural de la Raza serving as its immediate past President of the Board of Directors, Vice Chair of the Latina/o Unity Coalition, board member for the House of Hospitality in Balboa Park and Secretary for SDSU Los Aztecas Alumni Chapter. Moreover, she is the Chair of the National Latino Caucus for the Annual National Conference on Race and Ethnicity.

Currently, Corona serves as the Assistant Director of Student Activities and Staff member to the United Front Multicultural Center. She is passionate about her work with college students and loves going to work each day with a big smile.

Guadeloupe's vision is to complete her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of San Diego with a dissertation, which focuses on the Retention of Chicana students in higher education. To obtain this, she has a lot of ganas (willingness to succeed), self-determination and pride in her family and community. They are the source of daily inspiration for her. Most importantly, she feels that she is providing her six-year-old-son with a role model he can be proud of. As well as serve to empower women through her on-going struggle to overcome challenges and obstacle that limit their potential.

Women's International Center enthusiastically presents the Living Legacy Award 2001 to Guadaloupe Rodriguez Corona, a remarkable role model for women, a remarkable woman herself.

[ WIC Main Page | Biographies |