Ramón Ramirez, a lifelong advocate of immigration reform and president of Causa Oregon, has been named the 2014-15 Elder-in-Residence by the University of Oregon Office of Equity and Inclusion.

Ramirez also is president and a founding member of Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste, or the Northwest Treeplanters and Farmworkers United. Located in Woodburn, PCUN is Oregon's farmworker union and the largest Latino organization in the state.

“My main goal is to educate students on the contributions that farmworkers have made to the state of Oregon,” Ramirez said. “I want them to understand that farmworkers are paying a price for feeding America. I also want talk about how students can play a role in making food more sustainable, while also addressing workers’ rights issues.”

The Elder-in-Residence Program brings an elder from traditionally underrepresented communities to the university to share their knowledge, wisdom and experiences with students and faculty. As part of his inaugural visit to campus last week, Ramirez gave guest lectures and presentations and met with members of the university community.

"It's an honor to host such a celebrated leader of farmworker and human rights in Oregon," said Vice President for Equity and Inclusion Yvette Alex-Assensoh. "We are eager to engage with and learn from Mr. Ramirez, a veteran social justice activist."

Ramirez has made historic contributions to the state of Oregon and its Latino community. He has served as president or on the board of directors for numerous immigrant rights, workers’ rights and immigration reform groups around the state, earning honors, awards and special appointments for his work, which has spanned several decades.

“I’m interested in immigration because my family was affected by our broken immigration system,” Ramirez said.

After years of doing policy work and practicing immigration law, he said, the nomination to Elder-in-Residence is validating.

“It's pretty much a confirmation and recognition that the work we have been doing over the last 30 years is effective,” he said of his efforts. Ramirez plans to continue that work at the UO as the new elder.

“If we are going to make change, we need to create new alliances and partnerships and work together in a collective way,” Ramirez said. “It’s a process that involves building trust and understanding, which leads to relationship building.”

—By Nathaniel Brown, Public Affairs Communications intern