The OCCC Hispanic Student Association recently hosted Galilea Martinez, a candidate for the Oklahoma City Public Schools Board of Education, as a guest speaker on campus.

Martinez is running against Natalie Roman to represent District 7 in the first contested election for that school board seat in 14 years. Roman will visit OCCC as a guest speaker on March 24.

“With both candidates being Hispanic and District 7 being a primarily Latino population, we wanted to show our members a different way that an impact can be made in our communities, starting at an educational level,” the HSA stated. “We decided to host each candidate during our general club meetings … to speak about what made them decide to run, their campaigns and the importance of representation on the school board.”

The HSA noted that Martinez’s visit created space for impactful conversations.

“Our members were able to asks questions (and) share their experiences of going through the public school system,” the association explained. “Hearing her story really helped our members open up because it was someone they could truly relate to, someone who knows what it’s like, which helped create meaningful conversations.”

Martinez could personally identify with members of the audience as well.

“I, myself, went to OCCC once upon a time,” she revealed in an interview following her visit to OCCC. “It’s really important to me to talk to all students from all places.”

Martinez’s opponent is also an Oklahoma native and a young Latina woman in her twenties.

“It’s so amazing to see two Latinas who are both trying to be in this role bringing unique perspectives and knowing the nuances that our families go through and what that means,” the HSA said.

Martinez looks forward to the future of District 7, saying, “Regardless of who wins, District 7 has already won.”

Participation and Politics

Martinez emphasized the importance of representation in her district, as well as civic participation in local government.

“I quickly learned that your zip code determines a lot about your life, such as life expectancy, your education, your wealth even,” she said. “I looked up my zip code, 73129, and I said, ‘Oh my gosh! It’s not looking good.’”

Martinez felt compelled to become civically involved in her community, so she joined an organization called the League of United Latin American Citizens. There, she was offered the opportunity to advocate for Latinos at Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

The summer before her senior year of high school, Martinez began volunteering for political campaigns.

“There were times that I cared more about the state of the state than the state of my grades,” joked Martinez.

She worked with Mary Sosa, who ran for House District 89 in 2014. Sosa lost the race but ignited a spark of passion in Martinez.

“There was a fire lit in me the day that Mary lost,” she said. “Because of that, I have been on a mission to make sure that our systems are doing well and doing good for the people, and that we’re electing responsible and fair folks to these offices as well.”

Martinez noted that despite losing her election, Sosa went on to launch the Strong Neighborhoods Initiative, kicking off a process of revitalization in Oklahoma City.

These days, Martinez regularly emphasizes the importance of political involvement, particularly among members of marginalized communities.

“As women and as young people, we bring unique perspectives to the table that folks who are writing our policies and procedures don’t bring,” she said. “We are 51st in education, and we average a D average in this district. It is really sad knowing that these are some of the most poorly run schools in the United States.”

She went on to say that those who participate in running the schools are not at fault, but rather that we are seeing the results of a larger systematic failure.

Importance of Perseverance

Despite today’s divisive and unstable political climate, Martinez encourages people to find joy in their communities.

“If you go outside, talk to your neighbors,” she suggested. “If you really see how folks are living day to day, you will notice that there are glimmers of hope everywhere. But you will also notice that everything is really blown nationally. It’s not to say that isn’t the reality because it is the reality.

“I grew up as the only documented person in my family,” she went on to explain. “I knew from a very young age that, at any moment, my parents, my siblings, my family could be taken away from me. I knew my rights at 5 years old and what that meant. It wasn’t easy. You see the news, and you see that people get taken. But at the end of the day, it’s having that hope, knowledge and knowing that you can protect yourself.

“Don’t forget that joy is resistance,” she concluded. “Your existence is resistance. It’s okay to breathe a little and enjoy the moments you have.”

For updates and information about getting involved in Martinez’s campaign, follow @MartinezforOKCPS on Facebook or Instagram. For details about Roman’s upcoming visit to OCCC, follow @HSA_OCCC on Instagram.