At this year’s CES Commencement, the faculty and staff are proud to announce that Mr. Edward James Olmos will be receiving an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters on Saturday, May 24th, from 4:30 – 6:00 pm. 

PRESENTATION OF HONORARY DEGREE RECIPIENT – Edward James Olmos  

Actor, Edward James Olmos

Introduction by Dr. Anaida Colon-Muniz

Mr. Olmos, your contribution to the arts and humanities are immeasurable. From Stand and Deliver to Battlestar Galactica, you have helped create some of the most iconic roles on screen, taking on films that challenge audiences to examine their values. And while your dedication to the arts has been immense, we also honor your commitment as an activist and a voice for the disenfranchised.

Growing up in East Los Angeles, you experienced firsthand how poor opportunities for education can lead to gangs and drugs. Your role in Stand and Deliver as Jaime Escalante, the teacher who fought for a higher standard of education for the school and a policy of self-advocacy for the students, heralded the work that would be the focus of your career. You helped produce the Latino Book and Family Festival and, in doing so, provided hundreds of thousands with the tools they need for literacy. You have spent countless hours speaking to at-risk youth in juvenile halls and detention centers and your support of Homeboy Industries has encouraged many to leave gang life for good.

It is not only Latino or even American issues that you have tackled. You have worked as an ambassador for UNICEF, protested the harmful practice bombings on Vieques, and advocated for Sexto Sol, a group dedicated to helping developing areas with sustainable agriculture.  Your work with The Rhythmic Arts Project has helped many people with disabilities use rhythm as a learning tool as well as gain confidence and a positive self-image. Beyond this, it has helped spread an international message of self-worth, in accordance with your vision for one human race, equal in rights and dignity.

From the large-scale advocacy of the disenfranchised worldwide to the peaceful act of stepping into the violent unrest of the 1992 Los Angeles Riots with only a broom, you have demonstrated an enduring dedication to bettering the world. Your lifelong commitment to the arts, education, human rights, and global responsibility give us cause to honor you as Doctor of Humane Letters from Chapman University College of Educational Studies.