Rev. Rhina Ramos: God of the Oppressed

God is always on the side of the oppressed. That is the message we hear today from Rev. Rhina Ramos, who reminds us that as Christians we are called to be co-creators of the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. She speaks of her first-hand experience of hearing Father Oscar Romero preach and lead a movement of justice in El Salvador. This instilled in Rhina a message that God is with the oppressed and is guiding us all towards a more just world.

Rev. Rhina Ramos is an ordained United Church of Christ (UCC) minister leading an open and affirming Spanish speaking congregation, Ministerio Latino, in Oakland, CA since 2011. Rhina also coordinates Proyecto Encuentros de Gracia y Bienvenida for the UCC, which is an initiative that seeks to engage the faithful in prayerful dialogue, particularly within Latinx communities, guiding all churches towards becoming open and affirming of the LGBTQ+ community. You can find them on Facebook here.

Rhina was born in El Salvador and grew up during the civil war. Embedded in her heart is the voice of San Romero de Las Americas denouncing oppression from the pulpit. Rhina graduated from Hofstra University Law School in 1995. She also obtained a Masters in Divinity from the Pacific School of Religion in 2003. While in New York, she practiced labor law for 5 years recuperating thousands of dollars in unpaid wages for immigrant workers. Rhina is also an experienced Community Organizer who has led programs and campaigns for educational equity, labor rights, LGBTQ human rights, international solidarity with El Salvador, and domestic violence prevention.