Brenda Ramos Villanueva

Brenda Ramos Villanueva has always held great admiration and respect
for farmworkers—and a passion for improving their lives.

Raised in Oaxaca, Mexico, Brenda worked in the fields of Deming, N.M., and later applied to The University of New Mexico through the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP). As a freshman, she discovered UNM’s El Centro de la Raza—a resource center that provides mentoring support with a strong network of faculty, staff and students. Here, Brenda realized her potential for impacting farmworkers and the agricultural community as a whole.

With the guidance of El Centro, Brenda became a Chemical Engineering major—with plans to research and address farmworker health risks such as chronic disease due to pesticide exposure and chemical injuries. And, as an El Puente Research Fellow, she will be able to conduct this research in a real-world setting working closely with graduate mentors and faculty.

Now, as the president of UNM’s CAMPerinos student organization—honoring the advocacy efforts of César Chávez and Dolores Huerta—Brenda steps into the shoes of the activists before her, seizing the opportunity to raise awareness of the conditions migrant farmworkers face, while inspiring positive change for New Mexico’s agricultural community.

Go to elcentro.unm.edu to learn more about El Centro de la Raza

Read about Hispanic Heritage Month in the UNM Newsroom news.unm.edu