Aspen Policy Academy

Desiree Martinez

About Desiree

Desiree Martinez (she/her/ella) is a storyteller, community organizer, and fierce advocate for education equity. A proud native of South Central Los Angeles and a first-generation college graduate, she began organizing at 16 in response to budget cuts that aimed to eliminate her Title 1 school’s arts and college counseling department. Previously, Desiree served as Senior Manager of Community and Programs at Our Turn, where she led youth leadership initiatives, empowering young advocates to drive policy changes in their local school districts. Desiree earned her BA in Sociology with a minor in Education Studies from UCLA. In her spare time, you can find Desiree exploring new hiking trails with her 6-year-old pug-mix, Nala.