Celeste Gutierrez

Vrinda

Celeste Gutierrez(she,her,ella) has lived in Santa Cruz County for the past 25 years. She possesses over 10 years of experience working with youth across a variety of fields including education, employment, and the criminal justice system. The principle of nonviolence is very near and dear to Gutierrez’s heart. She uses this principle to motivate and align herself with different projects. As a result, aside from inspiring many youth, in 2021 Celeste was nominated as an Ally to Queer Youth Award & was the recipient of the 2017 Santa Cruz County Trial Lawyers Association Award for her contributions to the legal community. Celeste both advocates for & models inclusivity by displaying the rainbow flag in her office, communicating her pronouns, and fostering work/educational environments that are safe spaces for all youth groups. She also implements the importance of creating shared power amongst youth & adults through horizontal power structures in which decision making is equally shared. While nurturing communal spaces that are free of discrimination, Celeste ensures that the voices of minoritized groups are amplified; including yet not limited to currently and formerly incarcerated youth, children & adolescents who have experienced violence, individuals prone to situational related limitations all while keeping in consideration the environment & our relationship to earth. When Celeste isn’t working, hosting Inside Education or hiking with her dog you can find her at the gym practicing Boxing and Muay Thai.

I was born in Caracas, Venezuela and have traveled around the world. I’m happy and fortunate to call Santa Cruz my home. I work for the Santa Cruz County Office of Education as a culinary teacher for their Career training program.