MT. SAC PROFESSOR AND MENTOR DIES AT AGE 53, LEAVES LEGACY OF CREATIVITY AND AMBITION
Enrique Diaz, professor at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, and founder of the Nuvein Foundation for Literature and the Arts, died on March 28. He was 53.
Diaz also founded Digital Business and Design College in El Monte, a private college providing technical degrees in multimedia and computer design. DBD served students and business professionals from Greater Los Angeles, but especially provided the technical education for careers in web design, information technology and networking, and graphic design.
He is survived by: Jeffrey Bickel, husband; Aurora Diaz, mother; Nicolas Herman, Maribel, Judith, and Arlene, siblings.
Diaz was involved in many community organizations, serving as Webmaster for various Chambers of Commerce in the San Gabriel Valley.
Born in Tecomatlan, Jalisco, Mexico, Diaz immigrated here as a child with his parents. They lived in various parts of eastern Los Angeles, including City Terrace.
A graduate of Roosevelt High School, Class of 1977, Diaz spearheaded a folklorico ballet dance troupe at El Sereno Junior High, performing in and choreographing routines for junior high and high school students.
Diaz then enlisted in the United States Navy in 1979, proudly serving on the USS New Jersey (BB-62), where he collaborated with like-minded servicemen to share written stories and essays. This group was the beginning of Nuvein Foundation for Literature and the Arts.
After honorable discharge, he returned home to enroll at Cal Poly Pomona, earning his degree in 1992 in English Literature.
He and Jeff Bickel met in 1986 at KPFK radio in Los Angeles. Bickel was a staff member at KPFK, working on an initiative to enlist volunteers for the station. Since 1999, they were registered domestic partners, and were married in June 2008.
His extensive teaching experience includes a 23-year teaching position at Mt San Antonio College, UEI, Pasadena City College, El Dorado, Palladium Technical, and at his own school, Digital Business and Design College.
Forever remembered as “Our Storyteller”, Enrique will be sorely missed by the countless lives he enriched by means of mentoring, entrepreneurship, artist collectives, scholarships, fundraising, and leadership in community service.
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MEMORIAL SERVICES FOR ENRIQUE DIAZ
Date: April 7, 2011
Time: 6PM - 9PM
Grace T Black Auditorium
3130 Tyler Avenue
El Monte, California 91731
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MEMORIAL MASS FOR ENRIQUE DIAZ
Date: April 9, 2011
Time: 9AM
St. John Baptist Church
3843 Baldwin Park Boulevard
Baldwin Park, CA 91706
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DONATIONS
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to help pay for the cost of services. Donation is accepted as a check or through Paypal:
- Donations by check can be written to the "Nuvein Foundation" mailed to 10755 Lower Azusa Road, Ste G, El Monte, CA 91731.
- Donation by Paypal is to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or the button below --
