Arcela Nuñez-Alvarez was presented with the San Marcos Inspiration, Leadership and Excellence (SMILE) Award by the San Marcos City Council at the May 10 City Council meeting.
She was nominated by council member Randy Walton for her leadership and contributions to the San Marcos community. Nuñez-Alvarez immigrated from Mexico to San Marcos at the age of 12 with her single mother and sisters. She was raised in San Marcos and graduated from San Marcos High School. Nuñez-Alvarez continued her education and pursued a Master’s Degree and PhD at the University of Minnesota, where she studied the history and politics of Latin America. Her goal to return and give back to San Marcos remained consistent throughout her studies.
In 2012, Nuñez-Alvarez co-founded and co-directed Universidad Popular (UP), an organization dedicated to serving the most vulnerable and disadvantaged communities of immigrants, farmworkers and limited English proficient communities in North County. As a community leader, she uses community-based participatory research to develop culturally responsive education and curriculum. During her career, she has conducted several groundbreaking studies in the areas of civic engagement of the Latinx population.
Nuñez-Alvarez and UP have led numerous meaningful initiatives including 2020 Census outreach, COVID-19 worker assistance, Vaccinate ALL 58 and more. Most recently, UP has participated in the essential worker outreach project to communities hardest hit by COVID-19 to provide information and resources, safety guidance, vaccination and workers’ rights to over 30,000 frontline and essential workers in the region.
“Through her tireless work on the 2020 Census and her life-saving work during the pandemic, I have witnessed Arcela and the team she leads spend countless hours out in the field, quietly doing very difficult work that is improving the lives of thousands of people here in San Marcos,” Walton said. “That is why I want to recognize her with the San Marcos Civic SMILE Award.”
About the San Marcos City Council’s Civic SMILE Award
There are often community members who rise to the top – clearly reflecting this San Marcos ‘Spirit of Service.’ That’s why San Marcos City Council members initiated the Civic SMILE Award recognition program in March 2021.
Five times each year, a community member is chosen by a specific City Council member to receive recognition and will be presented with a San Marcos Inspiration, Leadership and Excellence (SMILE) Award during a City Council meeting.
For more information about the recognition program: San Marcos Civic SMILE Award.
