Deborah Mora Espinosa facts for kids

Deborah Mora Espinosa, born in 1951, is an important Chicana activist from Colorado. She has worked hard to make a difference in her community. She also served as the director of El Pueblo History Museum for History Colorado.

Biography

Early Life and Family

Deborah Mora Espinosa was born in Grand Junction, Colorado in 1951. Her parents were Gilbert Mora-Durán and Calletana Mora-Adargo. She grew up in western Colorado. Her father worked for the D&RGW Railroad. He passed away when Deborah was 12 years old.

Her parents did not have much formal education. However, they strongly believed in the importance of school for their children. The Mora family had seven children, three boys and four girls. All of them finished high school.

Deborah faced challenges because of her family's background and her Chicano heritage. Her parents sometimes faced unfair treatment for speaking Spanish. She attended a Catholic elementary school where she was one of only two Mexican children.

Education Journey

Deborah started college at Mesa College in 1969. But she soon felt like she didn't fit in and left school.

In 1970, she met Juan Espinosa, who had just returned from serving in Vietnam. They got married in 1971. Then, they moved to Boulder, Colorado. Both of them attended the University of Colorado Boulder.

Later, Deborah earned a master's degree in Non-Profit Management from Regis University. She was also a special fellow with the Colorado Trust during her studies.

Activism and Community Work

Deborah Espinosa became very involved in student activism. She helped start a Chicano student newspaper called El Diario. She was also a co-leader of the United Mexican American Students (UMAS) group. She and Juan became deeply involved in El Movimiento in Colorado. El Movimiento was a big movement for Chicano civil rights and social justice.

Because of their student newspaper, Deborah and Juan reported on many important events. They covered the work of leaders like Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers. They also reported on the La Raza Unida Party in Texas. They even covered the Crusade for Justice with Corky Gonzalez in Denver.

Deborah and other activists challenged the University of Colorado's classes. They felt that Chicano history and culture were not included enough. They also protested against unfair treatment. While she was a student, Deborah focused on helping women. She supported mothers and working women who found it hard to attend UMAS meetings. Deborah was also friends with a group known as Los Seis de Boulder.

After Juan graduated from college, they went to Mexico to study for six months. When they came back to the U.S., they settled in Pueblo, Colorado. They have four daughters. Deborah returned to college at the University of Southern Colorado. She earned a bachelor's degree in history and Chicano studies in 1975.

The Espinosas, along with David Martinez and Pablo Mora, started a newspaper in Pueblo called La Cucaracha. This newspaper focused on issues important to Chicano communities. It helped inform people and recorded the events of El Movimiento. The paper was published from about 1968 to 1974 and was run from the Espinosa's home.

In 1988, Deborah became the director of El Pueblo Museum. This museum is part of the Colorado Historical Society. Under her leadership, the museum moved from an old airplane hangar to a historic spot in downtown Pueblo. She also played a role in city planning and helping to improve downtown Pueblo.

In 2015, she helped organize a special exhibit at the History Colorado Center in Denver. The exhibit was called "El Movimiento: The Chicano Movement in Colorado."

Published Works

Deborah Mora-Espinosa wrote a chapter called "Teresita Sandoval: Woman in Between." It was published in a book titled La Gente : Hispano History and Life in Colorado in 1998.