Ruben E. Canedo

Ruben E. Canedo (he/they) was born in Indio, California, USA and raised in the border valleys of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico, Imperial Valley, California, USA, and Coachella Valley, California, USA.

He was raised in a mixed-status household with a mother who was a first-generation college graduate from U.N.A.M. in Mexico City and a father who was the Captain and later Coach of the Mexican Karate Federation National Team.

Ruben was awarded the Regents & Chancellors Full Scholarship to UC Berkeley. He was selected into the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program, published his work, and represented the university in its national team. After graduating (2012), he was recruited and led national efforts with the Emerson Collective's - Immigration and Higher Education Team.

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After a year (2013), Ruben was recruited and returned to UC Berkeley where he has been part of institutional and systems change efforts. These include: expanding the eligibility policy for EOP students, co-founding the Undocumented Student Program, and co-leading a state and national movement to improve college student basic needs.

Outside of higher education, starting in 2007, Ruben has served as an advanced facilitator, trainer, and public speaker. He is consistently sought after for small to large audiences and private to public settings. Collaborators include local organizations to large-scale foundations such as the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Ruben is trained in healing, disability, and transformative justice and is a daily practitioner of emergent strategies centered in love & wisdom.