Enrique Murillo Jr., a professor of education at Cal State San Bernardino, and founder and executive director of Latino Education and Advocacy Days (LEAD), was honored Saturday, Feb. 2, with the Friend of Children Award from the Diocese of San Bernardino Office of Catholic Schools.
Murillo was honored at the Catholic Schools Awards Banquet at the Doubletree Hotel in Ontario.
“This award is given to an individual who has touched the lives of children in various schools and parishes beyond the realm of ministry,” wrote Samuel Torres, superintendent of Catholic Schools, in a letter informing Murillo of the award. “You have demonstrated such support and passion in your work with and for our diocese, our ministries, our parishes and schools that your name was overwhelmingly affirmed as an individual who brings hope to our families and communities. You challenge us to think beyond the now and never settle for the status quo.”
“I am greatly honored as although it is widely acknowledged that Latinos are the fastest growing segment in the United States, which includes the Catholic Church, our children continue to be underrepresented,” Murillo said. “Our local Catholic school leaders are doing well by cultivating relationships with community members, and taking it upon themselves to know our community demographics. This is an exciting juncture, and Catholic schools, through their curriculum and environment, ought to be places where Latino children feel at home.”
Now entering its 10th year, LEAD, through its annual summit – to be held this year on March 28 at CSUSB – focuses on educational issues affecting Latinos at the national, regional and local levels by bringing together teachers, educators, researchers, scholars, administrators, independent writers and artists, policy and program specialists, students, parents, families, civic leaders, activists and advocates.
An estimated 1,700 people attended the summit in March 2018 at the CSUSB Santos Manuel Student Union. LEAD Summit IX was also livestreamed to remote Town Hall viewing locations worldwide, with 424,585 viewers, and over social media’s Facebook and YouTube, with 60,655 views.
The summit is the annual focal point for LEAD Week, which this year will include the Catholic School Expo and Career Day at the CSUSB Santos Manuel Student Union Events Center; the Puente Student Leadership Forum, at the Doubletree Hilton in San Bernardino; and the Cesar E. Chavez Memorial Breakfast VII at the CSUSB Santos Manuel Student Union Events Center.
Murillo has served at Cal State San Bernardino since 1999 and is a professor in the College of Education’s Department of Teacher Education and Foundations. In addition to LEAD, Murillo is also the founder of the National Latino Education Network, the founding editor of the Journal of Latinos and Education, and editor-in-chief of the Handbook of Latinos and Education.
He also serves as president of the Southern California Consortium of Hispanic Serving Institutions, representing more than 70 institutions in the region, as well as co-chair of the Binational Parent Leadership Institute. Murillo has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles, a master’s degree in educational foundations from Cal State Los Angeles and a doctorate in philosophy in social foundations of education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.