El Centro hires temporary coordinator

Cal Poly Humboldt recently hired Octavio Acosta as the new interim coordinator of El Centro Académico Cultural de Humboldt. Acosta started on March 4, 2024.

Ravin Craig, director of student life and previous interim coordinator for El Centro explained in an interview with El Leñador that Acosta was hired through the emergency hire process, in part because the hiring process for a permanent coordinator was taking too long. 

“I can’t support El Centro in the capacity that they need, they need somebody there,” Craig said. “The hiring process was taking too long and a lot of that is just outside of our control.”

Acosta is the interim coordinator until the end of June of this year. After which he will have to reapply for the position if a full-time coordinator is not hired.

“My hope is that Octavio provides support for the student staff who work there and the students who use the services and envisions a way for El Centro to meet the student’s needs,” Craig stated.

Originally from Lennox, California, Acosta graduated from Humboldt State University in 2019 with a Bachelor’s degree in Botany. 

His experience includes advocacy work, carpentry, and six years of experience in the Los Angeles culinary scene. Acosta is also the visionary director of the nonprofit, Humboldt Círculo de Hombres, a group that advocates for the emotional and spiritual well-being of men in the local Latine community.

Despite Acosta’s interim capacity, he expressed his desire to fully support El Centro and its student staff, adding that the students of El Centro have been led by its student staff since November of 2023.

“I’m coming in late to the game, so my priority is to support them and take whatever extra loads were put on them,” Acosta said.

Acosta plans to connect students with academic resources and encourage them to be involved in their Latine community.

“There is a lack of involvement with community events, and that might be based on fear,” Acosta said. “There have been raids out here, you know we’re in a rural area so there’s a history of racial violence.”

El Centro hosts the Latine graduation ceremony, a cultural celebration that honors and recognizes Latine students

Craig acknowledged that Acosta’s presence is valuable throughout the planning portion of the ceremony, as well as in all the other events and services the El Centro provides. 

For more information about El Centro Académico Cultural, follow @elcentrohumboldt on Instagram or go to centro.humboldt.edu.