Raquel Salazar Carrillo ’ 72 . While the pair would eventually marry years later , they first found a meaningful bond in sharing the many parallels of their upbringing .
“ My wife was the oldest of 10 and was responsible for raising her brothers and sisters at a young age . So , we both felt that family responsibility in our lives , and when we came to UC San Diego , it was like a liberation — an opportunity to explore and experience a lot of things that we never had the chance to ,” recalls Carrillo .
Even fundamental things like access to food made a big difference . “ We both had a meal plan , for instance . And as someone who had known hunger growing up , that freedom to have a burger and fries and a shake whenever you wanted — that was not lost on us ,” says Carrillo . “ We gained quite a bit of weight together , in fact , and started running for exercise , something we do to this day in our seventies .”
Their horizons expanded intellectually as well , as justice and equality were in the air as the campus was flush with social activism . Carrillo and many in his summer cohort joined organizations like the Black Student Union and MEChA , a Chicanx student organization , both of which were determined to steer the focus of the then-upcoming Third College toward equality , diversity and inclusion . Taking part in that grassroots work inspired Carrillo to point his studies toward law and public service , a profession where he could help people , knowing firsthand the plight of migrant workers who were often victims of an unregulated industry . “ I was young at the time , but I vividly remember an instance when a farm owner started a bidding war among us workers to undercut our wages because we were all so desperate for work . I felt deeply the unfairness and exploitation of that .
“ We want them to know that we came from humble beginnings and overcame many obstacles to succeed — and that they can do the same .”
And having been in such a situation , I knew it was important to use the education and skills I had gained to help people still in those conditions .”
Carrillo soon had that chance to help — in 1975 , while he prepared for the bar exam after attending law school at Stanford , the state of California passed the Agricultural Labor Relations Act , which essentially extended the rights of the 1935 National Labor Relations Act — including the right to union representation — to agricultural workers , who had previously been excluded from the law . Carrillo jumped at the chance to serve on a taskforce to implement and enforce the new law .
“ With workers at every farm in the state suddenly having the right to organize and hold an election , we had more elections in the first five months of our statewide operation than the National Labor Relations Board had nationwide in its first year ,” he says .
Carrillo worked for the Agricultural Labor Relations Board for 10 years and was ultimately appointed as a board member as well , having received the support of labor leader Cesar Chavez in securing Senate approval . In those and several other roles throughout a long career in law and advocacy , Carrillo did just as he intended when a student — helped people improve their working conditions and gain more control over their lives and livelihoods .
Now in retirement , Carrillo has
— JORGE CARRILLO ’ 72
hardly slowed down , but channeled his desire to make a difference back to UC San Diego , where it all started for him . He joined the Chicanx / Latinx Alumni Council ( CLAC ) and became co-chair of CLAC ’ s Student Outreach Committee , with the goal of helping recruit Chicanx / Latinx students and fostering their support while in college . He and his wife , along with their two sons , Andres Carrillo ' 01 and Jaime Carrillo ' 05 , established a scholarship endowment to help students in financial need , but they did so with a twist : the Carrillos scholarship comes with a letter to the recipient .
“ We want them to know that we came from humble beginnings and overcame many obstacles to succeed — and that they can do the same ,” says Carrillo . “ We want them to know that the endowment was funded through hard work , and though sacrificing a significant portion of our safety net , we want to help give them the opportunity to achieve their goals , just as others helped us in college . We let them know how fulfilling it was for us to have careers in public service and helping others . Finally , we express the hope that they consider the possibility of making future contributions of their own to UCSD scholarships , to help future students with financial need , and keep this legacy going for others .”
Learn how you can leave your legacy for students at : giving . ucsd . edu
TRITONMAG . COM 49