STAFF
Elisa Diana Huerta, PhD
Director
Elisa is a Brawley born and Tejas raised organizer, activist, artesanx and scholar. After earning a bachelor’s degrees in Mexican American Studies, Cultural Anthropology, and Plan II from the University of Texas at Austin, Elisa moved to Santa Cruz, CA in order to pursue a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology with parenthetical notations in Latin American & Latino Studies and Feminist Studies. Elisa spends a lot of time thinking and writing about expressive culture, performance, women of color praxis, and indigeneity. Art-making, of all kinds, make their heart happy. As the Director of the Multicultural Community Center at the University of California, Berkeley, Elisa works to create dynamic and engaged spaces where students, faculty, staff, and community members can learn, heal, create and vision.
Andrea Antonia Preza
Assistant Director
Andrea Antonia Preza (pronouns: she/her) is a major foodie and enjoys creating small rituals for the everyday. Her upbringing was split between El Salvador and Southern California. Her favorite pupusa is hands-down queso con loroco.
Before coming to the MCC she was an advisor for Berkeley Study Abroad. And, before that, she was an MCC intern during her undergraduate years. She is thrilled to return to the MCC in this new capacity. As the Assistant Director, she supports outreach, media, and programming efforts, and is excited to support the artistic visioning of the MCC's artist community.
You can usually find Andrea anywhere in the MCC, including the garden where she often takes a break. Feel free to approach her with any questions related to collaborating with the MCC, or just to say hello. Tell her about the most delicious thing you recently ate, or what you are currently reading, painting, writing, sewing, fermenting, or growing.
Antmen Pimentel Mendoza
Assistant Director
antmen pimentel mendoza (he, him, his & she, her, hers) is a pop culture and book nerd originally from South Bay San Diego. As an alumnus of the MCC's internship, antmen returns with enthusiasm to support the community's collaborative efforts and collective vision. antmen earned a bachelor's in Gender & Women's Studies from Cal and values curiosity, connection, and creativity. He loves alliteration.
As Assistant Director of Cross Cultural Student Development, antmen works closely with the interns on the MCC's library, archive, and workshop curricula. Find antmen in or around the MCC Library and talk to him about reality competition TV, your current favorite poem, or bakla pop culture and literature.
Elizabeth Aranda
Wellness Coordinator
Elizabeth Aranda {pronouns: she/her; Aries sun/rising} is a counseling psychologist, educator, and co-conspirator in the pursuit of collective liberation. She’s also an iced Vietnamese coffee drinker and cat meme lover, with a penchant for funky fashion finds. She was born and raised in Tejas as a first-generation student, and navigating the unique experiences and challenges as a QWOC in academia inspired her to center her work in the university setting. In her free time, she enjoys running, practicing tarot cards, and creating recipes. Elizabeth is a true multicultural practitioner in all forms, offering a range of services for students who identify across gender, sexual, racial/ethnicity, neurodivergent, and spiritual spectrums. She is passionate about supporting student leaders serving and as an advocate for wellness and healing.
China Ruiz
Assistant Program Coordinator
china is from chula vista. they're a gemini scorpio scorpio and they love their friends, education, and NB Ridaz. *cue sexy lady by MC Magic*
Graduate Student Fellows
Omi Salas-Santa Cruz
Graduate Initiatives Program Director
Omi is a funcle of two and pawrent of one. Born and raised in La Frontera San Diego/ Tijuana, Omi is an expert and avid border crosser who uses they/them pronouns. They join us to plan and conspire around, under, and over graduate degree academic walls as the Graduate Initiatives Program Director. Before starting their Ph.D. in Education at Cal, Omi survived the record-breaking 2014 North American Polar Vortex by quickly finishing an MA degree in Sociology at Columbia University. As a Cal alumnus, Omi proudly holds the unofficial title of longest serving intern with two MCC graduation medals, and nine NoCR t-shirts. You will find them making popcorn in the MCC kitchen or going through the new transgender studies section of the MCC Library.
Angela Aguilar
Senior Wellness Strategist
bio coming soon!
