Mayra Martinez

Mayra Martínez was born and raised in the Central Valley. She experienced Bay Area living for a few years and has since returned with a renewed desire to polish-the-diamond-in-the-rough that is Stanislaus County. Currently, she works for a non-profit organization providing social, emotional, and mental health services to students at an elementary school within Stanislaus county.

Her focus is to shine light where darkness lurks by stating the hard truths in the uncomfortable settings—all for the sake of advocating for those who have not yet found their voice or have been previously silenced.

Mayra’s passion for life comes from the wisdom bestowed upon her from her father, Edmundo Martinez. He emigrated from México to the United States at the age of 16 to help provide financial assistance to his parents and siblings—he suffered many hardships yet always managed to find joy in life. Years later he married Mayra’s mother, Graciela, and helped her arrive to the United States at about the age of 19.

Mayra is a first-generation Mexican-American and a first-generation college student. Through the influence of her father, Mayra has founded herself in Christ Jesus. Her soul’s purpose is to do all things in a way to praise and glorify God. Assisting people who feel lost or alone in any way, shape, or form is her way of honoring her parent’s life-journey and executing full respect for all life.

Mayra is unapologetically quirky, sees good in all things, and has an uncanny ability to pull beneficial lessons from all things. She has a natural knack for assembling people and motivating them to use their talents for the greatest common good. Mayra has proudly established several young adult groups. Most recently, she helped launch an online community for young adults to meet—this community of over 100 members now spans from Sacramento to Fresno County. On her downtime she enjoys playing beach volleyball, taking trips to the ocean, and singing for her friends.

As a NextGen on Board Fellow, Mayra is serving a two-year term on Stanislaus Community Foundation Board of Directors beginning July 2021.