Born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, Rosa Linda Martinez (Aviles) has dedicated her life to education, advocacy, and cultural enrichment. She served the Kansas City Public Schools for over thirty years, working with children who needed extra support staying in school and graduating. Her professional career has spanned early childhood education, legal advocacy, and support for at-risk students, including her work through K.U. Medical Center and Project Eagle.
Rosa Linda has been a passionate advocate for Chicanx rights since age twelve, when she joined the historic West High School walkout on September 16, 1969. Inspired by the nationwide Chicano movement, she and her fellow students demanded civil liberties, equitable education, and recognition of Mexican American culture. Their march, accompanied by mariachi music, was supported by the Kansas City chapter of the Brown Berets, a Chicano youth activist group. She holds an Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts from Metropolitan Community College Penn Valley, a paralegal certification, and additional studies from Rockhurst College. Currently, Rosa Linda is fulfilling a lifelong dream as a municipal court interpreter, while also caring for her 100-year-old mother. Beyond her professional achievements, Rosa Linda embraces life through the arts, travel, and cultural exploration. Her bucket list includes climbing the pyramids in Mexico City and witnessing the return of the monarch butterflies in Oaxaca. She also enjoys gardening, cooking, music, and attending cultural events. Above all, she treasures time spent with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandson.
