Nazario-Colón to serve as chair for governor’s advisory council
Ricardo Nazario-Colón, chief diversity officer at Western Carolina University, has been named chair of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Hispanic/Latino Affairs.
Ricardo Nazario-Colón
The installation will take place Thursday, Nov. 14, prior to the council’s regular quarterly meeting in Raleigh. He has served on the council for the previous two years as a member-at-large. Associate Justice Mike Morgan of the N.C. Supreme Court will be administering the oath.
The role of the council is to advise Gov. Roy Cooper on issues important to Hispanic/Latino North Carolinians and provide a forum on issues throughout the state. Members also support efforts to promote cooperation and understanding between the Hispanic/Latino community and the general public, as well as with local, state and federal governments, with a goal of improving race and ethnic relations.
Nazario-Colón joined the WCU staff in June 2016. He has been influential in WCU establishing a U.S. Latinx Studies minor, and the Latinx Appreciation Student Organization hosting the inaugural Southeastern Latinx Student Leadership Conference in April. He also represents the western region of the state as one of three Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poets of the North Carolina Poetry Society.
WCU Chancellor Kelli R. Brown congratulated Nazario-Colón on the appointment, saying “I appreciate your serving the state in this manner and representing WCU.”
