In 1962, Sylvester Raymond Mireles, became the first Latino faculty member at East Los Angeles College (ELAC). Ray (as he chose to be called,) was a pioneer in the Chicano movement for proudly wearing his ethnic identity as he began his work as a teacher and role model to the Mexican-Americans who came to dominate the neighborhoods of East LA in the post war.
After receiving tenure, he worked with the President of East Los Angeles College, to bring in grant money to help the Mexican-American students who enrolled in the school – but who then quickly struggled academically. With 70% of the Latino students on academic probation, something needed to be done. In response, my father, along with educator Jerry Sharon, received a number of grants that led to the foundation of the USTED program. This revolutionary program used a series of steps to increase students’ self-esteem and their ability to learn the class material. To this day, USTED stands as a unique, bold experiment in improving educational outcomes.
In 1963, Ralph Guzman organized a conference for high school students at Camp Hess Kramer outside of Los Angeles. This event served as an incubator for many of the ideals of the Chicano empowerment movement. Mireles not only attended this event, but spoke to the students as a motivational role model.
In 1969, Ray Mireles pushed for a Chicano Studies program to be founded within ELAC. The non-Latino faculty wanted an “Ethnic Studies” program that could be diluted over time. Even as the students marched outside, the college President vacillated. A decision had to be made. Ray told him, “You can be the President responsible for bringing the first Chicano Studies program to any community college in the country.” With that, Wells agreed to sign the paperwork to fund the program. He offered Mireles the opportunity to be the dean of the program.
True to form, he turned down the position. He preferred to lead from the sidelines to create the change that others could benefit from. Recognition and power were never his goals.
In 1973, he continued on with his push to empower Chicanos by working to bring on Armando Rodriguez as the first Latino President of ELAC. Only ten years earlier, Mireles was the first Latino on staff. With his influence and street-born smarts, he saw to it that his vision of Chicano empowerment made it all the way to the top.
During this time, he also studied nights to receive his doctorate in education. At home, he supported a family of four kids and his wife. For 60 years, until her death, he remained married to Brigida Mireles. Though born in rural New Mexico, he loved his home in Whittier – where he remained until his passing. Unlike more notable leaders of the civil rights movement, no scandal ever clouded his name.
Though he returned to teaching in 1979 and retired in the mid-90’s, his legacy continues to this day. In 2026. the current president of ELAC, Monte Perez, visited with Ray at his house. Looking at a pamphlet saved from the early 70’s, Perez saw his own name on the list of his scholarship recipients. Who knows how many others were helped by his efforts and what impacts it had on their lives?
“He never desired public office nor even photos of him in the limelight. He just quietly worked to create more opportunities and less bigotry for those born with brown skin like his,” recalls his son, John Mireles.
In his last years, Dr. Mireles was working on a book about his long time friend, the late Los Angeles Times journalist Ruben Salazar.
Dr. Sylvester Raymond Mireles passed away on June 1, 2026 at the age of 96 years. A true Hero of La Raza and a Latinopia Hero.
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This remembrance was written by Ray Mireles’s son, John Raymond Mireles who also provided the photos in this remembrance.