Socorro Martínez
By Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez
Socorro Martinez learned early what it means to speak for someone else.
Before she became director of Latina Leadership Initiative of Greater Des Moines, before interpreting became her profession, she was the daughter helping her parents move through appointments, restaurants and everyday moments where language could decide how a person was treated.
That kind of responsibility stays with you. For Martinez, it became part of the way she understands leadership.
Five months into her role with LLI, she is now helping build the kind of space many Latinas spend years looking for: one where they can be seen, supported and allowed to grow without explaining every part of who they are.
From translating for family to advocating for community
Martinez was born near Chicago to Mexican parents and raised in Norwalk. At home, she was surrounded by culture. Outside of it, that same culture often made her feel different.
“I definitely grew up in a bubble,” she recalls.
Like many first-generation Latinas, she took on adult responsibilities young. She interpreted for her parents long before she had a title for that work. Doctor’s appointments. Restaurants. Ordinary errands. The kind of moments that can seem small until a family needs someone to help them be understood.
Over time, that work became a profession. Martinez has now spent more than 20 years as a professional interpreter, but the center of it has stayed the same.
“What started as helping my family became something much deeper,” she says. “It’s about connection, dignity, and making sure our community is heard.”
The sisterhood that found her
Martinez says she did not find Latina Leadership Initiative. Latina Leadership Initiative found her.
In 2023, she saw a call for applications on social media and joined the program. She expected mentorship. What she found went deeper than that.
Working with her mentee, and watching her ambition and resilience up close, Martinez saw what happens when Latinas are given room to grow with other women who understand the pressure, the doubt and the courage it takes to show up.
“I think about the courage it takes just to walk into a room like this,” she says. “That first step matters—and it deserves to be celebrated.”
Founded in 2013 by a group of Latina leaders, LLI has grown into a network of more than 100 alumni. Each woman comes in with her own story. Many leave with a different sense of what leadership can look like.
For Martinez, the heart of the program is simple: sisterhood.
“It’s warm. It’s real. It’s a place where you don’t have to explain who you are—you’re already understood.”
Socorro Martínez, far right, executive director of Latina Leadership Initiative, pictured with the new cohort. Photo provided.
Claiming space without waiting for permission
Martinez does not talk about leadership as something reserved for a certain job title or a certain kind of room.
Latinas deserve space now, she says. Not later. Not after they become someone else’s idea of ready.
“There’s a lot happening around us that can create fear and uncertainty,” she says. “But spaces like LLI remind us that we are not alone.”
Latinos are often described as one of the fastest-growing populations in the country. Still, Martinez sees how far visibility can lag behind, especially in professional spaces.
She knows what it feels like to be the only Latina in the room. She also knows that the next generation should not have to carry that feeling by itself.
Her message is direct:
You don’t have to be a CEO to matter. You don’t have to fit a mold to belong. What you bring is already enough.
An invitation to take the first step
LLI’s annual leadership program runs from January through May and is designed for Latinas ready to invest in their personal and professional growth.
The 2026 cohort is already underway, but there are still ways to connect through community events, mentorship and leadership roles.
For Martinez, it comes back to the first step.
“Take the step. Apply. Show up. And most importantly—keep claiming your space.”
That is the work she is doing now: making the room easier to enter, and harder to feel alone in once you get there.
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