“I’ve had a happy life. Now, I just want to help my community.”

Maria Martinez was born in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas Mexico. As a young girl, she sold vegetables on the street to support her family: tomatoes, lettuce and bell peppers. When she was fourteen, she met her father for the first time when her family moved to the United States to join him here.

Maria’s father introduced her to activism and organizing at an early age through his involvement with United Farm Workers. He became an activist with Cesar Chavez and in 1973, Maria and her family were involved in the grape boycott led by Cesar Chavez. That same year she met Lupe Martinez while they were both attending night school. They were married within a month. Maria says of her husband, “He’s a good man. Since I met my husband, I couldn’t ask for more.” They’ve now been happily married for 31 years.

Maria worked in the fields as a grape packer for 15 years. A picture proudly hangs in her daughter’s office: Maria holding a box of grapes with a smile on her face. She has no regrets about the years she spent in the fields. “It was honest work. I wouldn’t want my children to do it. But it’s honest work.” Her union activity was not always popular and she was once fired for her involvement in the union. But the union lawyers fought back and her job was reinstated.

In 1992, Lupe came to work for CRPE. During that time, Maria’s children formed CARLOS (“Comision de accion revolucionarios de latinos organizados para siempre” or “Committee of Revolutionary Latinos organized for action”). The group helped raise money for CRPE. “We love CRPE,” Maria says, “they’ve done so much to help us and our community.” In 1993, when Cesar Chavez died, the Martinezs went back to the United Farm Workers union.

Now, Maria’s vision is to help her community. Personally, she is willing to interpret or facilitate access to needed services. She works out of her daughter’s office, which provides help with taxes and immigration. Political campaigns are her passion. She loves to be outside, active and involved. She helps her husband (now third vice president of UFW) to organize meetings and marches. Her daughter is currently running for the school board and Maria will be active on that campaign. She was also active on Gil Flores’ successful 2000 campaign for Delano City Council.