Human Rights Pioneer ROBERTO MARTINEZ Passes Away

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 20, 2009


SAN DIEGO [MAY 20] — Roberto Martinez, a lifelong Chicano civil and human rights advocate and former
director of the US-Mexico Border Program of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) in San
Diego, passed away this morning in the presence of his immediate family. He was 72 years old.
Roberto was a fifth generation Chicano who witnessed blatant discrimination and racial intolerance as a
young man. He became a prominent advocate for migrant communities in the late 1970s and early 1980s
and worked with several organizations in order to confront law enforcement abuse of authority. In 1983,
Roberto became the director of the AFSC’s US-Mexico Border Program, and he was instrumental in
developing a human rights methodology that is now widely used by human rights organizations along the
US-Mexico border. In 2001, Roberto retired as director of the AFSC because of complications with
diabetes, after 18 years of service with the AFSC, and after a lifetime of advocacy for human rights in
border communities.

Throughout the course of his life, Roberto participated in countless community forums, panel presentations,
and testified before the US Congress on Border Patrol violence and the increasing militarization of the US-
Mexico border. Roberto became an internationally recognized advocate of the dispossessed, the
disenfranchised, and those relegated to the margins because of immigration policies. In 1992, Roberto
became the first US citizen to be honored as an International Human Rights Monitor by the international
human rights organization Human Rights Watch for his pioneering human rights advocacy in border
communities. Recently Roberto received the prestigious Ohtli Award presented to him by the Mexican
Government, the highest honor granted to a non-Mexican national for their service to Mexicans abroad. He
was also the recipient of the Quezalcoalt Award, presented to him by the Mexican National Commission for
Human Rights.
Roberto is survived by his wife, Yolanda, nine children, 23 grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

Information about services for Roberto are forthcoming.

Roberto will surely be missed. He was a mentor to many, always worked with integrity and treated
everyone with respect. Roberto’s determination in advocating for justice, peace, and dignity is an admirable
legacy that should serve as an example for all.


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The American Friends Service Committee is a Quaker organization that includes people of various faiths who are committed to social justice,
peace and humanitarian service. Its work is based on the belief in the worth of every person and faith in the power of love to overcome violence and injustice.