Francine Oputa
Francine Oputa (May 31, 1953 – September 14, 2023) was an American scholar, educator, social justice advocate, and community leader in Fresno, California. She worked to promote diversity and inclusion at California State University, Fresno, and through her community service in downtown Fresno.
Oputa was the youngest of eleven children, born in the San Fernando Valley to Rev. Hillery T. and Rosa L. Boradous, who were active community leaders. She married Henry Oputa in 1977.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Stanislaus State and moved to Fresno in 1979 to attend graduate school at Fresno State, where she earned a master’s in media, communications and journalism in 1984. In 2011 she received a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in educational leadership from the University of California, Davis/Fresno State.
In 1991, Oputa became the founding director of Fresno State’s Women’s Resource Center. She also worked in the Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management and served as director of the Cross Cultural and Gender Center, teaching in Africana studies and women’s studies. With her husband, she founded The Way Ministries (John 14:6) and Saturday School, offering programs in downtown Fresno that taught children ages 3 to 12 about African and African American culture and self-image. She also served on Fresno’s Parks, Recreation and Arts Commission.
Oputa passed away in Fresno at age 70. She was known for reaching out to Black children in Fresno and for advancing diversity and inclusion at Fresno State. Fresno State presidents Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval and Joseph Castro praised her as a dedicated advocate for diversity, equity, and campus culture. Her work inspired broader diversity programs, such as the Racial Healing Circle at Fresno State.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 17:03 (CET).