Paco Retana, a dedicated advocate for social welfare and education, has established the Paco Retana Endowed Fellowship for Graduate Students in collaboration with his wife, Ruthie Flores Retana. The fellowship will provide financial support to students pursuing graduate studies in social welfare at UCLA Luskin.
The Retanas’ ultimate goal is to grow the fund into a sustainable endowment that will continually offer need-based financial assistance, helping to ensure access to education for those from marginalized and underserved communities.
Retana is a Double Bruin who earned his undergraduate degree in 1987 and master of social welfare in 1990. Born to immigrant parents — his father from Costa Rica and his mother from Mexico — Retana grew up in Pico Rivera, California, where he cultivated a profound respect for education and a drive to help Los Angeles’ most vulnerable populations. Currently serving as chief program officer at Wellnest Emotional Health and Wellness, Retana plays a pivotal role in empowering children and young adults through access to mental health services.
In the summer of 2024, Retana began a two-year term as president of the UCLA Alumni Association, a role in which he will leverage his extensive experience and networks to support the university community. He also serves as a mentor to graduate students through UCLA Luskin’s Senior Fellows career leadership program, providing guidance to those pursuing careers in social welfare and public service.
In his commencement address to UCLA Luskin’s Class of 2024, Retana urged the next generation to embrace collaboration and community-driven change, saying, “Together, you have the potential to create a tapestry of positive change that is richer and more vibrant than anything you could achieve alone.”
Inaugural Goldstein Activist Award Honors Legacy of Civil Rights Scholar
The inaugural Dr. Michael Goldstein Activist Award for Social Justice has been awarded to a UCLA Luskin Public Policy graduate, made possible by the support of longtime donor Susan Bales, the widow of Dr. Goldstein.
“At some point, that question looms large for many of us who have lost an extraordinary loved one,” Bales said. Beyond the plaques and eulogies, she wondered, “is there a way to pull that person’s vision into a tomorrow they will not see?”
This question inspired her to create the Goldstein Activist Fund to honor her late husband Michael Goldstein and reflect the family’s long commitment to cultivating activists within the Luskin School. This year’s award went to Double Bruin Sebastian Cazares MPP ’24, who became an organizer for social justice issues at the age of 15.
Goldstein, a scholar and civil rights advocate, died in 2019 of glioblastoma, leaving behind an unfinished manuscript that explores how various racial and ethnic groups navigated the color line in 20th Century California.
“My parents achieved much in their lives,” Goldstein wrote, “but to do so they constantly had to navigate the ‘they’ – those reflecting the powerful forces of discrimination and hate in American society.” Cazares said he is honored to receive the award, noting that Goldstein committed his life to advanced scholarship for political change and played a key role in passage of the U.S. Voting Rights Act.
Cazares’ own journey as an activist has been guided by a number of influences: the xenophobic political climate that shaped his formative years as a descendent of migrant workers; environmental and colonial injustice during Hurricane Maria on the island of Puerto Rico, where family members live; election systems that suppress the vote of people of color; and nationwide movements against racial injustice and gun violence.
Why They Give: Ruth Sugerman MSW ’67
For Ruth Sugerman MSW ’67, giving back to UCLA Luskin Social Welfare is deeply personal. After a long career of service that took unexpected turns, Sugerman has been recognized for her lifetime achievements. Now, as an alumna and long-time supporter of the School, she seeks to invest in the next generation of social workers, and the field of social work itself. Sugerman shared her reflections:
When I was a young child, I went to Sunday School in my working-class neighborhood. Each week, we put money from our allowance into a little box with the word for “justice” in Hebrew on it. We were told that this wasn’t charity, that we were lucky to have a place to live and food and the things that we needed — but not all children were that lucky. It was only fair that we should share some of what we had.
I was raised with the idea that each of us is required to do what we can to make the world better. We aren’t expected to do something major, but whatever we can, we must do. In school, I decided I would work in psychiatric hospitals with patients and their families. I’m sure that I was influenced by the fact that my father was psychotic and I would have liked someone to help me deal with that. To reach that goal, I went to UCLA to earn an MSW.
UCLA Social Welfare challenged us to recognize and correct our prejudices and biases. They taught us that everything we said or didn’t say, did or didn’t do, should be for the client, not ourselves. They asked us, if someone is throwing babies into a stream, do we go downstream and try to pull them out before they drown or do we go upstream to stop the person who is throwing them into the water? They said being a social worker just trying to help people cope with and survive a harmful system was futile. We should change the system to prevent the harm.
I give to Luskin MSW students to pay it forward and give them the opportunities that I had when tuition was lower. I give to Luskin MSW students so they can gain the knowledge and skills to make the world better.
Where They Are Now: Edgar Reyna MURP ’23
Edgar Reyna MURP ’23 shared his experiences at UCLA Luskin and beyond, including the impact that his Luskin Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Fellowship made on his educational and career trajectory. Reyna is currently working as a climate resilience senior analyst for the Office of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
What made you choose UCLA Luskin? I chose to attend the Luskin School primarily due to the diversity within its faculty and student body, which is reflected in its approach to urban planning that centers equity. The faculty’s leadership in areas such as environmental and climate justice appealed to me greatly, as did the opportunity to craft my own focus area within the planning department. This provided greater access to UCLA expertise from disciplines including atmospheric sciences, the Fielding School of Public Health and geography.
What experiences did your fellowship provide that you may not have had otherwise? I had the opportunity to participate in a climate adaptation initiative in a sensitive mangrove ecosystem in Nayarit, Mexico. This experience underscored the importance of centering climate solutions around the voices and priorities of indigenous and front-line communities.
What would you say to prospective or current students? Apply to grants, fellowships and other funding opportunities that will allow you to focus on what you’re most passionate about. Take time to listen to and learn from your classmates because they’re on the forefront of every issue you’ll read about in class. Also, step out of your field of expertise while in school and learn new approaches to the problems you’re focused on. UCLA has some of the brightest minds in the world in every possible subject — go learn from them!
Honoring the Legacy of Ralph Shapiro: A Lifelong UCLA Champion
The UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs extends its deepest gratitude for contributions made to the Shapiro Luskin School Special Patient Care Fund in memory of Ralph Shapiro. A distinguished UCLA alumnus, visionary business leader and dedicated philanthropist, Shapiro passed away Aug. 14, 2024, at the age of 92, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire the university community and beyond.
For more than five decades, Shapiro was an integral part of UCLA’s growth and success, serving as a donor, volunteer, mentor and board member. His dedication to advancing education, particularly in social welfare and public health, was a hallmark of his support.
Shapiro recognized that field education is essential to preparing social work students for their future careers. The Shapiro Luskin School Special Patient Care Fund, established in his honor, supports two key staff supervisor positions and provides opportunities for four second-year social work students to gain professional experience at UCLA Dentistry’s Special Patient Care Clinic and the UCLA cerebral palsy clinics.
One Shapiro Fellow said the fellowship enabled her to practice social work at a high level. The hands-on experience working with families and individuals who have unique strengths and challenges equipped her with the skills needed for her professional journey, and she now holds her dream job as a hospital social worker.
