Ruben Avelar was raised in East Palo Alto and attended local schools in the Ravenswood City School District as well as Ravenswood High School. He founded the Raices de Mexico dance troupe while attending UC Berkeley as a way to educate and celebrate Mexican heritage and culture. This led him to be involved in the East Palo Alto Arts Commission. Mr. Avelar has also devoted his life to enriching the lives of East Palo Alto's youth through work at the Youth Development Center and JobTrain.
Explore Other Collections
Post-Depression Period Timeline Collection (1936-1959)
Selections from the collection related to agriculture and farming traditions in East Palo Alto, t...
Ruben Avelar Collection
Artifacts donated by Ruben Avelar, an East Palo Alto resident and founder of the Raices de Mexico...
The East Palo Alto Progress Collection
Published issues of the local East Palo Alto Progress newspaper.
Wear Your Pride Clothing Collection
T-shirts, sweatshirts, and other apparel items created by the City of East Palo Alto and local no...
East Palo Alto General Plans
A collection of EPA City General Plans. A general plan includes the following elements: land use,...
Early Townships Timeline Collection (1850-1935)
Selections from the collection related to the early townships of Ravenswood, Runnymede, and the C...
Nairobi Movement Timeline Collection (1960-1979)
Selections from the collection related to the social, cultural, and political activism of the Nai...
Barbara Noparstak Collection
Artifacts donated by devoted East Palo Alto community member Barbara Noparstak.
The Ohlone Nation Timeline Collection (1000BC-present)
Selections from the collection related to the Ohlone Nation; the city of East Palo Alto exists on...
Duane Bay Collection
Artifacts donated by former East Palo Alto mayor and city councilmember Duane Bay. Mr. Bay has be...
Incorporation of East Palo Alto Timeline Collection (1980 - 1994)
Selections from the Archive related to the efforts to incorporate East Palo Alto, including the E...
Community Revitalization Timeline Collection (1995-2010)
Selections from the collection related to community economic development such as the Ravenswood 1...
Sharifa Wilson Collection
Artifacts contributed by East Palo Alto resident, former Mayor, and East Palo Alto Community Arch...
Meda O Okelo Collection
Artifacts contributed by longtime East Palo Alto resident, Meda Okelo, that focus on community ce...
Community Preservation & Transformation Timeline Collection (2011-present)
Selections from the collection related to the effects of gentrification and influx of the tech in...
People of EPA Video Collection
Videos from the #PeopleofEPA documentary video series produced for the EPA Community Archive.
Raices de Mexico Collection
Photographs, programs, and organizational artifacts donated by and related to Raices de Mexico, a...
Barbara Mouton Collection
Artifacts compiled by Barbara Mouton throughout her time as East Palo Alto's Mayor and City Counc...
East Palo Alto City Budget Collection
A collection of East Palo Alto City budget documents and articles about the City's budget.
Dr Syrtiller Kabat Collection
A collection of artifacts donated by educator, activist, and former East Palo Alto resident Dr. S...
Estela Guerrero Collection
A collection of artifacts contributed by East Palo Alto resident and Ravenswood High School Alumn...
Dr Omowale Satterwhite Collection
Artifacts donated by and documenting the long career of Dr. Omowale Satterwhite. Dr. Satterwhite ...
Nairobi College Collection
Artifacts documenting the history, events, and legacy of Nairobi College and the Nairobi Alumni A...
East Palo Alto Library Collection
Photographs and artifacts produced or donated by the East Palo Alto Library, documenting its hist...
William Byron Webster Collection
Artifacts donated by East Palo Alto resident and long-term activist. His collection is eclectic b...
Ravenswood City School District Collection
Artifacts produced by or contributed by the Ravenswood City School District.
Ravenswood High School Collection
Artifacts documenting the history of Ravenswood High School before its closure in 1976. These pho...
EPACA Oral History Collection
Oral history interviews conducted by volunteers of the East Palo Alto Community Archive to captur...
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