by Kirk Whisler, LPN.com

Dr. Jess G. Nieto has been a tireless political activist, a creative businessman and a pioneering educator. His greatest joys have come from being an educator – as a counselor, professor, administrator and supporter of educational programs and projects that directly benefit the Chicano/Latino community. His recognition as a “Real Hero in Education” by the American Red Cross Kern Chapter, came as little surprise to many of his students, colleagues and friends he has worked with over during nearly 40 years in education.

Selene Magana, a former student in the Chicano Latino Scholastic and Leadership Academy, which Dr. Nieto founded in 2005, was his nominator to the Red Cross. It caught him by complete surprise. When Dr. Nieto first saw the list of nominees he was sent in early January, he stated that he made a silent promise to himself to send a congratulatory note to the winner because he felt there were many worthy nominees. When he was informed of the Red Cross’ decision to announce him as the winner for his founding of the Academy, Dr. Nieto was stunned.

In 2005, Dr. Nieto felt there was a need to develop an educational academy that promoted academic excellence, as well as leadership development, especially as it related to helping younger Chicano and Latino students’ dream to obtaining a higher education. So, the mission of the Latino Academy became to identify, select and prepare groups of Chicano/Latino students to succeed in college and allow them to learn the workforce skills necessary to succeed in life while, at the same time, to prepare them for commitment to their respective Chicano/Latino communities.

California State University Long Beach and its Chicano and Latino Studies Department Chairman Dr. Victor Rodriguez provided university transfer-level classes to the Bakersfield area students. The department also supported these class offerings in Bakersfield for the Latino Academy. President of CSULB, Dr. King Alexander, not only supported the program, but made a pledge to meet with the Latino Academy when the group visited the campus in 2006 and 2007.

Additionally, this program identified and assigned a series of Chicano/Latino elementary and secondary students to the college/university Latino Academy students as their mentees in order to create a better chance for the younger students to succeed in their elementary and secondary education. The goal was to not only help them develop a desire to attend college, but also subsequently to develop a successful professional career. At the same time, Heritage of America also identified and selected nearly 40 Latino professionals who acted as mentors to the college students. Together, they created the Chicano Latino Village or Community (Pueblo), whose aim was to promote the education of college and elementary Chicano Latino students.

Each college student received a $2,500 scholarship, which paid their tuition and book expenses at CSULB. The program started in the Fall of 2005 and operated in 2006 and 2007, with almost 50 college students and an equal number of elementary/secondary students. In addition, a number of professional Chicanos and Latinos in the areas of medicine, health care, education, local and state government, the media, business, arts, law, social work, corrections and music mentored the Academy students.

Although the Red Cross Real Heroes Award is to recognize the work Dr. Nieto has done with the Latino Academy, his lifetime body of work has been impressive. Dr. Nieto was a counselor, professor and administrator/dean at Bakersfield College, where he founded the Chicano Studies Program and the Chicano Cultural Center (1971-1983). He also worked on international education at BC and the League for Innovation for The U.S. Community Colleges and taught sociology classes for the School of Education at California State University Bakersfield (1984-1997), as well as developed and taught an international education program in Pre-Columbian Studies for the State University of New York at the Museum of Anthropology & History in Mexico City (1977-1980) and the CLAD (Cross Cultural Language and Academic Development Program) for the University of San Diego (1996-2004) in Bakersfield.

Currently, he teaches classes for the Kern County Superintendent of Schools BTSA (Beginning Teachers Support & Assessment Program). Dr. Nieto has published more than 50 articles and papers in intercultural and international education, Chicano and Latino Studies and in history, political science and international foreign relations, especially with regards to Latin America. He has also presented numerous papers for international bodies, including to UNESCO on “Globalization and its Impact on Quality Education on Multiethnic Nations” (October 2006), to the Department of Foreign Relations of the Venezuelan government on U.S. Latin America foreign policy (2008), the University of Havana in Cuba on immigration, the education of Latinos in the U.S. and on the Chicano Movement (1999- 2000-2007), as well as to several agencies of the Secretary of Public Education of Mexico (in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s). Dr. Nieto continues to work on educational and cultural programs with Heritage of America and several countries including China and Venezuela.