VIRGINIA MARTINEZ

College of Law graduate Virginia Martinez was one of the first two Latinas licensed to practice law in Illinois. The Chicago native has dedicated her life to serving, supporting and elevating marginalized communities. As a law student, Martinez cofounded the Latino Law Student Association and continued her advocacy work into her career, helping to establish the Chicago Office of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. She was also a founding board member for the Illinois Maternal and Child Health Coalition and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. In 2014, Martinez received a DePaul alumni award for outstanding service to the university. Now retired, she recently published the second book in her children’s series, “Adventures with Abuela." The bilingual series encourages caregivers to read to young children as well as to take them to zoos and museums in the Chicagoland area.