Historical Marker

Graciela Olivárez (1928–1987)

Attorney, public servant, and activist, Graciela Olivárez was a high school dropout who became the first woman graduate of Notre Dame Law School where an award is presented each year in her name. She led national anti-poverty efforts and ensured equal representation of men and women on the National Council of La Raza’s Board of Directors. In 1980, she started the nation’s first Spanish-language television network.