Hello, my name is Rubén Pizarro, and I was born and raised in Salinas and am proud to be a product of this vibrant agricultural valley. As a young man I was “lost” and didn’t have a clue of what I wanted to do with my life but I know I wanted to make my parents proud so I started my higher education journey at Santa Barbara City College and later completed my undergraduate degree with high honors in Sociology at UC Santa Barbara (Go Gauchos!).
Wanting to make a difference for working-class families I attended Santa Clara Law School where as a second year law student I co-founded the East San Jose Community Law Center (now, Katharine & George Alexander Community Law Center) which more than 25 years later is still providing free legal services to hundreds of low-income families each year. I went on to become a staff attorney at California Rural Legal Assistance in Salinas where I represented farmworkers for several years before beginning to teach Government at Alisal High School in 1999.
My family and I founded the Salinas Valley Dream Academy because of our intense desire to give back to the community that has given us so much and to provide young people with the opportunities and personal & collective empowerment they need to reach their full potential and shine like the stars they are! My values and vision were instilled in me by my parents, Domingo and Lucila Pizarro, who immigrated from Durango, Mexico so their children could have a better life. My wife, Lorena Silva, and two children, Mariela & Marco, are my constant source of strength and inspiration. I thank God every day for them and for the opportunity to live with purpose and serve my community. It is a privilege and honor to do so!
“All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”Romans 8:28.