Convocation: Lupe Ontiveros

"One Woman's Journey." Award-winning actress, producer, activist, and visionary Lupe Ontiveros is a woman who makes a difference. She has appeared on stage, screen and television, and her role in "Desperate Housewives" made her the only Latina nominated for an Emmy in 2005. But acting is Ontiveros' second career. A graduate of Texas Woman's University, she spent 18 years as a social worker in East Los Angeles and Compton where she worked with the Head Start program, senior citizens and developmentally disabled children. It was during this time that she became involved with issues involving women and education. She established a development consulting service to assist corporate America in funding nonprofit organizations that address the issue of domestic violence. In addition, she produced "Una Vez Al Ano Para toda Una Vida" (Once a Year for a Lifetime), an award-winning educational film focusing on the need for breast cancer awareness among Latinas.