Moises Salinas is a scholar of developmental and social psychology, a multi-cultural educator, a Zionist political activist, and the former director of the Office of Diversity and Equity at Central Connecticut State University.
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Born in Mexico City, Mexico in 1966, Salinas was involved in Zionist activities from age 15 when he attended the Aluma Institute for Jewish Education, which was a program in Jewish education and leadership. He then served as a youth councilor in the Dor Hadash Zionist Organization in Mexico City. Later (1985-6), he served as Secretary General of the movement that had about 150 members, and designed educational activities for youth aged 10-18.
Salinas first came to Israel in 1984-5 when he attended the Machon L'Madrichei Chutz La'Aretz, the Institute for Youth Leaders Abroad in Jerusalem, which was a program in Zionist leadership and education. He returned to Israel in 1986 to study at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, earning his BA in Educational Psychology in 1991. While studying, he was an active participant of the Peace Now (Hebrew: שלום עכשיו) movement and a member of the Mapam party student wing.
Salinas moved to Israel in 1986. He quickly rose among the ranks of young Zionist leaders. In 1988, He became the youngest board member of the Magshimim Federation, and he coordinated several programs for the Jewish Agency Youth and Hechalutz department for Latin America. In 2004, Dr. Salinas became one of 14 young Zionist leaders worldwide to be honored with the first Herzl Awards from the World Zionist Organization, in honor of the 100 anniversary of the death of Theodor Herzl, for his contributions to the Zionist Movement. He was profiled in the Jewish Ledger and selected as one of Connecticut's Jewish Movers and Shakers in 2005. Salinas was founder of the Hartford American Zionist Movement (AZM) and serves as a board member of the national American Zionist federation as well as board member of Meretz USA and the Jewish Academic Network for Israeli-Palestinian Peace (JANIP). He is currently the President of Meretz USA.
Salinas completed his Ph.D. in educational psychology at the University of Texas in Austin. He most recently served as associate professor of developmental and social psychology at Central Connecticut State University. He has published in a variety of publications, including the Journal of Black Psychology and Computers and Education. He has co-authored papers with psychologists Claude Steele, Joshua Aronson, and Richard Valencia. He has received awards from the American Education Research Association Grant in 2003, from the Carnegie Academy for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning award in 2002, and a The Pew Charitable Trusts Teaching Leadership Award in 1997.
On March 9, 2011, Salinas plead no contest to a charge of sexual assault on one of his students. He received a one-year suspended jail sentence and a two-year conditional discharge. The sentence was conditioned on him resigning his position at Central Connecticut State University, not teaching again, and leaving the country.[1][2]