Albert and Vera Ramirez have both individually and together impacted the lives of many children and adults in our community over the past few decades. They selflessly devoted themselves to the betterment of the community in general and the people of color community in particular.

From 1971 until 2000 Al was on the faculty at the University of Colorado. He has been credited with being a loyal, dedicated and effective faculty member in promoting ethnic diversity on the Boulder campus. As an associate professor of psychology, Ramirez was deeply involved in recruiting minority students and faculty members. He helped develop and sustain sound, culturally relevant program for Hispanic students. In 1983 Al became Assistant Dean of the Graduate School and then Associate Vice Chancellor for Faculty Affairs. As an administrator, Al was instrumental in the success of the Annual Equity and Excellence Awards and other efforts to recognized minorities for outstanding service and achievement.

Vera Ramirez was born in the San Luis Valley in southern Colorado, one of eleven children. Her family moved to Denver when she was four. After raising seven children, Vera herself attended college to study history. Her interests have always been the welfare of children, particularly Chicano children and other children of color. Over the years, Vera has been extensively involved in her community, especially working with the Boulder Valley Schools to improve dropout rates and to include diversity as a goal for the school district.

Their passion to support minority students led Al and Vera together to champion an extremely successful mentoring program “Domingo en Casa.” Two Sundays a month Al and Vera opened their home and invited CU's Hispanic students and faculty to a home-cooked Mexican meal and provided a social support network. Domingo en Casa expanded over the years to include a mentoring program between the university and the Boulder Valley School District. Not only did the program increase the sense of community and purpose for college students but it provided encouragement for public school children to graduate from high school and to attend college.

Through their never-ending compassion, energy (and great cooking) Al and Vera Ramirez have positively influenced the lives of hundreds of students and adults in the Boulder community.