Background
Sanchez, Rita B. was born on May 20, 1937 in San Bernardino, California, United States. Daughter of Leonidas Nicolas Sanchez and Macedonia Acuña.
Sanchez, Rita B. was born on May 20, 1937 in San Bernardino, California, United States. Daughter of Leonidas Nicolas Sanchez and Macedonia Acuña.
Bachelor in English, Stanford University, California, 1972. Master of Arts in English, Stanford University, California, 1973. Master of Arts in English, Stanford University, California, 1974.
Student, University California, 1976—1982.
She returned to college in the 1970s as a single mother of two daughters, earning a Bachelor of Arts in English in 1972, a masters in education in 1973, and an Master of Arts in English in 1974, all from Stanford University. While at Stanford, she taught the first Chicana studies course there. She taught at San Diego State University from 1974 to 1984 while simultaneously doing graduate studies at the University of California, San Diego.
Leaving academia in 1984, Sanchez founded the Acevedo Gallery in San Diego with Acevedo and his father, artist Guillermo Acevedo.
The gallery primarily showed works by Chicano artists, but also included art from Latin America and Native American art from the southwestern United States.
Sanchez returned to teaching again in 1990, joining the faculty at San Diego Mesa College. At Mesa College, she chaired the Chicano Studies department from 1996 to 1999, and in 2006 she led the department to change its name to the department of Chicana and Chicano Studies.
Sanchez was inducted into the San Diego County Women"s Hall of Fame in 2011 for her dedicated activism.
Married Richard Griswold del Castillo, June 29, 1996. Married Donald Gene Fink (divorced). Children: Lisa Fink La Rossa, Teyana Fink Viscarra, Mario Torero Acenedo, Lucin Acenedo, Acenedo Palilo.