Adriana MartínezAdriana Martínez is a lifelong advocate of higher education among youth growing up in poverty, including first-generation students born to immigrants. Her passion stems from her experiences growing up in a working-class, lower-income family in the hosing projects of urban Los Angeles. Despite the hardships, Adriana credits her hard-working Mexican immigrant parents for providing her with opportunities they never had in a nurturing home.Adriana excelled in school and moved on to Stanford University, where she earned her bachelor's degree. After several years in Washington, D.C., she went on to earn an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management. In her memoir, she shares lessons that she hopes others may learn from to overcome different life challenges, and in the process, discover who they are and what they love. Adriana has enjoyed writing since she was a young girl, winning Young Authors Conference competitions in grammar school for her short stories. During her Stanford years, she published poetry in Spanish in a student publication she co-founded, and also earned an "Excellence in Literature" award for an essay at the National Association of Chicano Studies (NACS) Conference. She established the nation's first traditional Mexican folklórico dance company and children's program during her time in Washington, D.C. Adriana has raised two children while managing her professional career, which spans diverse sectors and organizations with a focus on strategic management and public affairs. She has remained active as a volunteer with various community organizations concentrating on increasing higher education access for underserved students. She lives in Los Angeles County with her family.Adriana Martínez is available for speaking engagements. Please visit adrianamartinezauthor.com for more information or to book her for a speaking engagement. Read More Read Less