Desiree Martinez
Program Facilitator
"Be the person you needed when you were younger"
-Ayesha Siddiqi
Desiree Martinez (she/her/ella) is a proud native of South Central Los Angeles and a first-generation college graduate. She is a storyteller, community organizer, and fierce advocate for education equity. Desiree began organizing at 16, mobilizing her community in response to budget cuts that threatened to eliminate her school’s college counseling and arts programs. She previously served as Senior Manager of Community and Programs at Our Turn, where she led youth leadership initiatives, empowering young advocates to drive policy changes at the local and state levels.
Desiree earned her BA in Sociology with a minor in Education Studies from UCLA, where she deepened her commitment to creating equitable educational opportunities for historically marginalized communities.