Rev. Dr. Jorge Lara-Braud

Denomination: Presbyterian Church (USA) (PCUSA)
Organization: Hispanic American Institute

Rev. Dr. Jorge Lara-Braud was a trailblazing Presbyterian minister, theologian, and advocate for justice, best known for founding the Hispanic American Institute in Austin, Texas. Born in Mexicali, Mexico, in 1931, Lara-Braud immigrated to the United States as a student and converted to Presbyterianism while attending the Texas-Mexican Industrial Institute. He went on to study at a number of U.S. institutions, including Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary and Princeton Theological Seminary, earning a doctorate in theology.

Throughout his career, Lara-Braud was deeply engaged in theological education and ecumenical mission work, teaching in Mexico, Colombia, and the U.S. He emerged as a leading voice in the movement for liberation theology within the American church, particularly focusing on the needs and dignity of Mexican Americans and other oppressed groups. He worked closely with civil rights organizations like the United Farm Workers Union, LULAC, and Raza Unida, and was a frequent speaker and contributor to journals such as Christian Century and Sojourners.

Lara-Braud also played a key role in shaping mission policy within the Presbyterian Church, advocating for deeper cross-cultural understanding and the dismantling of institutional racism. His writings, including Our Claim on the Future (1970), continue to influence conversations around theology and justice.

In his final years, Lara-Braud served as a lay pastor of El Buen Pastor Presbyterian Church in Austin. He died in 2008, leaving a profound legacy of faith, activism, and prophetic witness.