Julian Castro's passion for social justice runs in the family: He inherited it from his mom.
As a child in San Antonio, Texas, Julian and his twin brother, Joaquin, watched and learned as their mother, Maria Castro, rose to prominence as a Chicana political activist who helped establish the La Raza Unida political party and became a candidate for the San Antonio City Council.
That early example laid the groundwork for Julian Castro's own career and the experience and perspective he brought to Sonoma State University on February 20 as the 18th speaker in the H. Andrea Neves and Barton Evans Social Justice Lecture series.
“2024 will be a consequential year for our country and our world,” said Castro, an attorney and former mayor of San Antonio who served as HUD Secretary during the Obama administration. “Anti- immigrant sentiment has come back with a vengeance,” he said, adding that fearing the “other,” which has included many groups, has ebbed and flowed throughout US history.
“You can make a difference,” Castro said, encouraging audience members to enter public service as a way to make social change. “You are our future, but you are also the present. You have a voice,” he said to SSU students, urging them to speak out against “othering,” rhetoric and to vote in this year’s elections.
At a reception prior to his remarks, Castro met with series co-founder Dr. H. Andréa Neves, SSU Emeritus Professor of Literacy Studies and Elementary Education, university leadership, and social justice advocates and community leaders. Among those attending the reception were Dr. Angélica Garcia, recently named President of Santa Rosa Junior College; Rohnert Park Vice Mayor Gerard Giudice, Councilmember Samantha Rodriguez, and City Manager Marcel Piedra; Rebecca Hermosillo of Congressman Mike Thompson’s office; Anna Tamayo with the office of Assemblymember Damon Connolly; members of the Los Cien board; and university leadership.
Following the lecture, Castro – who recently was named Chief Executive Officer of the Latino Community Foundation in San Francisco, serves on the board of directors for the LBJ Foundation, is an MSNBC and NBC News analyst – answered questions from the audience, moderated by Herman G. Hernandez, Executive Director of Los Cien Sonoma County.
Dr. Neves and her late husband, Barton Evans, endowed the social justice lecture series to bring prominent social justice advocates to Sonoma State every year. Jonathan Kozol (2005) was the first of several notable speakers, including Angela Davis, Charles Blow, Ralph Nader, Cornel West, Jamaica Kincaid, and Julian Bond.
The annual lectures, which are made available to SSU students, faculty, and staff at no cost as part of the series endowment, are also open to the public.