As a community advocate my focus is to support voter rights, housing rights, immigrant rights, human rights and civil rights, equality and opportunities for all. BIO
Meet Estela De Los Rios
With over 40 years of management experience, Estela De Los Rios prides herself in the work she does as a civil rights activist. She takes pride in the fact that she works tirelessly to give a voice to those
whose voices are silenced or who those who feel they don’t have a right to speak up. Today, the East County resident serves as Executive Director at CSA San Diego County, a nonprofit organization that fights for social justice causes such as opposing human trafficking and discrimination in housing. In the past year, she has emerged as a well- known and outspoken advocate against the rising number of hate crimes in the community. Estela De Los Rios worked side by side with 52-faith and community leaders to forge a coalition known as United for a Hate Free San Diego. In 2008, the group held its first summit in gathering first-hand testimony from children and adults victimized by violence and hate crimes. De Los Rios has built and sustained community relationships on a bi-national level, and established networks for oppressed populations who were victims on human trafficking and Fair Housing violations. In 2012, Estela’s work alongside Dr. Sheldon Zhang from SDSU was pivotal for a National Study on Labor Trafficking. She has served on many panels as an expert on Labor Trafficking issues and is presently on the National Executive Council with World Without Exploitation, the movement to end human trafficking and sexual exploitation . In March of 2014, she attended the United Nations to address human trafficking on behalf of the Commission of the Status of Women. De Los Rios sits on the board of members of some of the most prestigiously community outreach organizations and committees. She plays an important role on the board of directors of the following organizations: President of the San Diego Fair Housing Regional Alliance Board, Secretary for Latinos y Latinas En Accion, Board member for Lemon Grove Thrive, Justice Overcoming Boundaries, East County Justice Coalition and a member of National Fair Housing Alliance. She serves on a State committee with the Rockwood Fellowship for a New California. She is the Chair for the Welcome Newcomer Network in El Cajon. .Currently, she a Commissioner for the Leon L. Williams San Diego County Human Relations Commission. De Los Rios has also served as a board member for Border Links, Empower San Diego and the Chair for the Latino Redistricting Committee. In addition, the chair for the East County Census 2010.De Los Rios develops programs by working with the board of these organizations and committees, staff, and the overall community. She has had the honor to work closely with the ACLU and NAACP to defeat the “Hazleton style” ordinance, which would have penalized landlords renting to undocumented immigrants. De Los Rios was named a Newsmaker of the Year in 2008 by East County Magazine. Among this amazing recognition she has been a recipient of many other esteemed awards such as 2011 California Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, Outstanding Employer Recognition. In addition De Los Rios received an Award for Organizational Leadership, 2010 American Psychological Association’s Committee on Socioeconomic Status (CSES) as well as the 2010 National Census Partner Award. In 2012, Estela received the Ashley Walker Social Justice Award at San Diego’s annual Martin Luther King Breakfast for her contributions in making San Diego community a better place for all people. She also received The People’s Mic Award, August 3, 2013 for her exemplary work and commitment in the fight of social justice for the diverse communities of San Diego County. Estela De Los Rios had the prestigious honor of being the University’s Table Ambassador for their 2015 National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast and Conference. In addition, The 2015 Paul Harris Fellow recognition was awarded to her by Rotary International. Estela was also given through the San Diego County Board of Supervisors a recognition for her contribution in the fight against Human Trafficking from Supervisor, Dianne Jacob. Estela is a Graduate of Rockwood Leadership Institute, December 1, 2016 and a Graduate of Fieldstone Executive Leadership of San Diego 2016. In 2018, National Action Network of San Diego recognized Ms. De Los Rios for her leadership in the communities across San Diego .In 2019, Estela De Los Rios was selected as one of 50 Latinos to feature her lifetime story at the San Diego History Center Museum.. Originally from Tepic, Nayarit Mexico, Estela is a social justice advocate who holds a B.S. in Sociology from SDSU. As a human right activist for 40 years, Ms. De Los Rios believes in respect, dignity and human rights for all people regardless of their racial background, language, national origin, religious practice, sexual orientation, gender, age or disability is what makes her the humanitarian she is today.
