36th Annual Lorenzo Patiño Banquet

Professor Jasmine Harris, with her daughter, and Professor Cruz Reynoso.

On Saturday, March 10, the La Raza Law Students Association of UC Davis School of Law hosted a wonderful event, the 36th Annual Lorenzo Patiño banquet. This year, banquet co-chairs  Manuela Boucher-de la Cadena and Gloria Chong put together a full evening of food, entertainment, and inspiration. The Banquet was sold out and there were more than 100 students, professors, alumni, and others in attendance at the ARC Ballroom on the UC Davis campus.

Quetzali (left), Teresa and Migali all have been going to the Patiño Banquet since they were toddlers. Teresa is my daughter. Quetzali and Migali are Professor Perez's daughters.

Professor Amagda Perez '91 (left), Sacramento-area lawyer, George Acero, and Felix de la Torre '99 (right).

The Patiño Banquet is held annually in honor of the late Judge Lorenzo Patiño. Judge Patiño graduated from UCD Law in 1973. In 1980, at the age of 32, he became one of the first Mexican-Americans appointed to the Municipal Court of Sacramento. Three years later he co-founded the University of Northern California School of Law, a law school focused on providing an affordable alternative for working persons who wished to pursue a legal career. It was later renamed in his honor. 

In a ceremony led by Professors Amagda Perez, Leticia Saucedo, and Cruz Reynoso, the graduating third year students were honored.  

I had the honor of presenting two awards.  The students awarded third year student Tanairi Alcaraz with the Lorenzo Patino Award for her dedication to the community. The students selected Tanairi because of her extraordinary service and dedication, not only to the Latino community, but the legal community at large. 

Professor Reynoso

This year, the students created a new award for faculty. The Cruz Reynoso Award will be given to the faculty member dedicated to the Latina/o community. And this year's winner was none other than Cruz Reynoso, former head of California Rural Legal Assistance, Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court, law professor, and the conscience of the Latina/o community. Professor Reynoso was there to accept the honor and received a much-deserved standing ovation.

The graduating La Raza law students.

It was a wonderful evening that included a silent auction to help raise money for student public interest fellowships.

 

My wife, Virginia, and daughter, Teresa.