Graciela Olivarez
Encyclopedia
Graciela Olivarez was a lawyer who advocated for civil rights
and for the poor.
In 1970, Olivarez became the first woman and the first Latina
to graduate from the Notre Dame Law School
. She was offered a scholarship to the school while she was serving as director of the Arizona branch of the federal Office of Economic Opportunity, despite the fact that she lacked a high school diploma. http://www.jsri.msu.edu/museum/pubs/MexAmHist/chapter22.html The Notre Dame Hispanic Law Students Association presents an award in her name annually. http://www.nd.edu/~hlsa/graciela.html
Olivarez served as the chair of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund
, and was one of the first two women on its board. http://www.nwhp.org/resourcecenter/honoredlatinas.php
In 1977, President Jimmy Carter
appointed her the director of the Community Services Administration. She thus became the highest-ranking Hispanic woman in the Carter administration.http://www.nclr.org/section/events/conference/conference_nominations
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
and for the poor.
In 1970, Olivarez became the first woman and the first Latina
Latina
Latina is the feminine form of the term Latino.Latina may also refer to:*Province of Latina, a province in Latium , Italy**Latina, Lazio, the capital of the province of Latina**Latina Nuclear Power Plant*Latina , a district of Madrid...
to graduate from the Notre Dame Law School
Notre Dame Law School
The Notre Dame Law School, or NDLS, is the professional graduate law program of its parent institution, the University of Notre Dame. Established in 1869, NDLS is the oldest Roman Catholic law school in the United States. NDLS is ranked 22nd among the nation's "Top 100 Law Schools" by U.S. News &...
. She was offered a scholarship to the school while she was serving as director of the Arizona branch of the federal Office of Economic Opportunity, despite the fact that she lacked a high school diploma. http://www.jsri.msu.edu/museum/pubs/MexAmHist/chapter22.html The Notre Dame Hispanic Law Students Association presents an award in her name annually. http://www.nd.edu/~hlsa/graciela.html
Olivarez served as the chair of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund
Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund
The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund is a national non-profit civil rights organization formed in 1968 to protect the rights of Latinos in the United States...
, and was one of the first two women on its board. http://www.nwhp.org/resourcecenter/honoredlatinas.php
In 1977, President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
appointed her the director of the Community Services Administration. She thus became the highest-ranking Hispanic woman in the Carter administration.http://www.nclr.org/section/events/conference/conference_nominations