Activist John Delloro’s legacy challenge’s all Bruins to be more involved in their communities

UCLA lost a brilliant teacher too soon when John Delloro died of a heart attack on June 5 at the age of 38.

Delloro consistently advocated for affordable and accessible education, immigrants’ rights and workers’ rights. His work at UCLA belies the suggestion that students ignore issues on their campuses and in their communities.

Delloro’s commitment to education, workers and immigrants speaks to issues Bruins continue to struggle with ““ and which uninterested students would do well to inform themselves about.

Whether on campus, out in Los Angeles, or even further afield, Delloro remains an example of the best and highest ideals that Bruins can strive for and remains a challenge to any and all ambitious alumni.

Delloro’s undergraduate and graduate career at UCLA exemplify the school’s role as an incubator for social and political activists. Delloro worked to save Tagalog language classes and campaigned for Pilipino-American studies classes ““ a campaign that led to the establishment of the current Filipino-American studies concentration in the Asian American Studies major.

A transfer from College of the Canyons in Valencia, Delloro staged protests, sit-ins and teach-ins in opposition to anti-affirmative action legislation, in support of teaching Southeast Asian languages at UCLA, all while finishing his bachelor’s degree in psychology.

His participation in debates on campus politics and curricular development during his two years at UCLA flies in the face of excuses that students can’t find the time to invest in their academic experience.

Today’s Bruins wrestle with the same issues Delloro did as an undergraduate ““ fee increases, affirmative action and relevant education for California’s young people. Most recently, while Delloro protested the abolition of affirmative action via Proposition 209, UC students have been forced to address racism and homophobia following incidents at UC San Diego and UC Davis.

Furthermore, UCLA students still advocate for more relevant classes ““ a business minor, a diversity requirement, the preservation of language classes and labor studies. We should continue to make the university more intellectually diverse, as Delloro did in his time here.

While some things stay the same at UCLA, many change; few contemporary Bruins have the leisure or inclination to take their learning beyond Westwood Village.

This is unfortunate. Off-campus involvement has created some of UCLA’s finest moments.

Delloro bridged his education with his life’s work after learning about the abuse Asian-American workers suffered at the hands of sweatshop owners. While still a student, he went to dressmaker Jessica McClintock’s boutique in Beverly Hills to protest unfair treatment of Chinese workers. Friends remembered seeing Delloro dressing up in a bunny suit during Easter yelling, “Jessica, we’re hopping mad!” Bruins could take a lesson or two from Delloro’s willingness to take his work off-campus, as well as his sense of humor.

After graduation, Delloro worked in Las Vegas and southern California as a labor organizer. It was in that capacity that he had his first heart attack in 2006, which prompted him to return to education. He pulled double duty at UCLA and the Los Angeles Community College District as a lecturer specializing in labor issues, working-class Asian-American communities, history and organizing.

His belief in public education as a catalytic force reflects the ideals that sustain the UC system, and represent UCLA at its absolute best.

While Delloro only served on the UCLA faculty for three years, he had an outsized impact on his students, many of whom now work as labor organizers, scholars and political activists.

As higher education in California grows prohibitively expensive, and students are forced to weigh ideals and ambitions against student debt and family expenses, they would be wise to reflect upon Delloro, who taught that students can do good, live well and enjoy relevant, fulfilling educations and careers

While John Delloro’s passing has left UCLA bereft of one of its best sons, his life and work remain a testament to the best values that this campus holds and a challenge to our community.

If a transfer student can come through UCLA and end his short life with such a long term of service to college, community and country, what’s stopping any other Bruin from living and working with equal passion, success and dedication?

If you think Bruins could and should continue to contribute to their communities while being students, then e-mail Sukaton at [email protected].
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