How Dr. Juan Rivas is “claiming space”

Dr. Rivas, Ph.D., shares his journey to realizing his identity and his power

JENNIFER BUSTAMANTE / CONTRIBUTOR / THE USD VISTA

Dr. Juan Carlos Rivas Espinoza, or Dr. Rivas, is commonly known as J.C. to friends and students. After immigrating to this new country, Dr. Rivas learned how to navigate a world, where, in many spaces, he was the only person of color. 

One of the strategies he used to navigate these spaces was transforming his name into his initials. Today, the only reason he goes by J.C. is because it makes it easier for those who can’t pronounce it. In the classroom, he is known as Dr. Rivas because it is important for him to normalize the idea that someone with his last name has a Ph.D. Rivas believes that his name is one way he can “claim space.”

To understand what it means for Dr. Rivas to claim space, one must walk his journey. The youngest of eight, Juan Carlos comes from a family of professionals: his father was a doctor and his mother was a chemist. His father was a first generation college student in Mexico, and the only one in his family to pursue any kind of education. 

Because Dr. Rivas’ siblings were much older than himself, he grew up surrounded by a large family. By the time he was born, his family was in a different socio-economic status than before because their  family business was already established. Consequently, Dr. Rivas was the only one in his family to attend a private college.  

At 16, he attended a Catholic retreat ­— something Rivas  believes changed his entire trajectory. This experience triggered something in him: the ability to own his privilege and realize what he can do for others. As a result, this “life of service” that he wanted to pursue, led him to attempt to be a priest during his sophomore year of college. However, he quickly realized that this was not his calling. 

A big influence that led him to reach a point of self-discovery was when Dr. Rivas looked inwards to his personal sentiments. 

“When I was 10 years old I knew I was gay, just from the way I felt for others and that was different from what I heard from my friends’ experiences,” Dr. Rivas said. 

Dr. Rivas believes that every coming out journey is different. Although his own journey began the moment he had his first girlfriend and realized the experience was not like everyone else said it would be. Yet, for him there were other layers of challenges like the Catholic Church, which was such an integral part of his upbringing. Although he spent three months in seminary in an attempt to become a priest, he ultimately did not follow that path. This was a turning point where he started to see the more complex ways that the church played a role in also oppressing the marginalized communities. This understanding led him to come out. Up until that point, in Mexico, he had never had a boyfriend, he primarily was in platonic relationships. 

After graduating college at 23, he traveled for six years. He spent this time doing community service, which Dr. Rivas notes, was the strongest influence in his journey. 

“Nothing helps you change more than exposure to people who are different from you. I was traveling with 120 people from 20 countries represented and in that group, there were people who were completely out and very comfortable in their journey as gay individuals and members of the LGBTQ community,” Dr. Rivas said. “This allowed me to be emboldened to then say it out loud for myself.” 

Telling his family on the other hand took four more years, something he did in a very methodical way. Dr. Rivas first read a book on how to best come out, and then told his family members one at a time. He didn’t want to come out just to feel free; he explained that he came out to his family to invite them to see an aspect of him that they didn’t know before. It came from a place of love and  for them to know him better. 

Part of the process would have included telling his parents, something he never did. 

“My parents I never told. My mom died before I could ever tell her. She died 20 years ago, so I never had the chance,” Dr. Rivas said.“But she’s the one that asked me [if I was gay] when I was in high school, I just didn’t have the courage to tell her. But she knew. They all knew.”

He now claims space for himself and others, through his unique immigrant experience and his journey of self-discovery. Dr. Rivas also  considers himself a facilitator of learning. With the Changemaker Hub, he engages in social change by helping students effect progress in their own communities. 

“The whole idea of giving back has never sat well with me,” Dr. Rivas said. “Because if you think you need to give back it is because you already took too much. It’s about creating the space and the opportunities for others to also have access to what everyone has.”