Rest in Peace Dr. Baca
Our hearts are shattered by the passing of Dr. Bernal C. Baca on Friday November 28th.
Dr. Baca was a key figure for the Commission on Hispanic Affairs: he was a leader in the formation of the Commission in the early 1970s and most recently, when he was appointed to the Commission on Hispanic Affairs by Governor Jay Inslee in August of 2020, served two one-year terms as the Chair, two terms as Vice Chair, and almost two terms in the executive committee.
Dr. Baca was a life-long teacher, organizer, and community builder. He was well respected in the state for his tireless work on justice, education, and labor issues.
He was a 30-year retired Professor Emeritus at Yakima Valley College and former Past President of the American Federation of Teachers Yakima faculty. He also served as the Government Relations Specialist and Chief Lobbyist of the American Federation of Teachers Washington for 10 yrs, from which he retired. Having rested a few months from his first and second careers, he embarked on a third, serving as executive director of Mi Centro, a multi-million-dollar Tacoma-based nonprofit that provides social, cultural and educational services to the greater Pierce County Latino community.
Outside of work, Dr. Baca was generous with his time and talents. Most recently, he served as chair of the Racial Equity Team; co-founder and board member of the Equity in Education Coalition; a trustee of the Tacoma Art Museum; board member of the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce; and board member of the State Board of Community Technical Colleges. Past volunteer service includes tenure on the Washington State Board of Education under Gov. Christine Gregoire and past president of the Association of Multicultural Counseling and Development.
Dr. Baca was always proud of his heritage. He was born and raised in Trinidad, Colorado to a pioneer family who founded the city he was born in, which was part of Mexico prior to 1846. His father was the first Latino Mayor pro-tem for the city of Trinidad. Dr. Baca attended the University of Colorado in Boulder, Washington State University in Pullman and Seattle University in Seattle. Most importantly, all who knew him, knew that the was first and foremost a Denver Broncos fan, and was a proud season ticket holder since 1970.
He is survived by two daughters and 6 grandchildren and countless people he loved and mentored along the way.
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