34th Annual Lorenzo Patiño Banquet

La Raza Law Students Association organized a stellar 34th Annual Lorenzo Patiño Banquet on a very rainy Saturday night in Sacramento. 

Professor Jasmine Harris was the warm and engaging emcee and ran a timely program honoring the graduating students.  Professors Andrea Chandrasekher, Cruz Reynoso, Cappy White, and Amagda Perez, as well as Senior Assistant Dean for Student Affairs Hollis Kulwin were in attendance.  I had the honor of awarding the Patiño award for community service and leadership to Bianca Dueñas, who is deeply committed to the empowerment of farmworker communities (like the one she came from).  During law school, Bianca worked with California Rural Legal Assistance, California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation, and the Immigration Law Clinic.  Bianca brought a large contingent to the dinner, including her daughter Ayanna and son Luciano and husband Salvador, her parents, brother, and two sisters.  Previous award winners Miguel Martin ‘84, Melinda Guzman ‘88, and Jenni Gomez ‘12 were in attendance.  The evening ended with an inspiring keynote by Sylvia Torres-Guillen, Special Counsel to the Office of the Governor and former General Counsel of the Agricultural Labor Relations Board.  She told of her journey from hardscrabble East Los Angeles to Harvard and law school at Berkeley and her fight for social justice for the most vulnerable in our society.

Many distinguished guests and alums were in attendance.  Justice Louis Mauro ‘87 of the California Courts of Appeal and Judge Sonia Cortez of the Yolo County Superior Court enjoyed talking with the students. 

Congratulations to La Raza Law Students Association for a wonderful evening capping off another amazing year!