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Cynthia Sofia Martinez – West Michigan 25 most influential Latinos

Cynthia Sofia Martinez – West Michigan 25 most influential Latinos

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Cynthia Sofia Martinez

Filmmaker 

First Voice Generation Film Director and Producer

Growing up in a family of migrant workers in Holland, Cynthia Sofia Martinez more than a future in West Michigan’s farms and factories.

“As a young child, I did not go to summer camp or have playdates,” she said. “Instead, I stood for long hours in the middle of a farm picking blueberries.”

Martinez left the Holland blueberry fields as a young woman to pursue an education, first graduating from Western Michigan University’s College of Aviation and, driven by a desire to share stories, achieved her master’s degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.

Her most impactful story is “First Voice Generation,” a social justice documentary that explores issues of inequality, racism and discrimination in public schools. The film, inspired by Martinez’s own story, won Best Independent Film award at the Central Michigan International Film Festival in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, and Best Documentary Film Award at the Lady Filmmakers Film Festival in Los Angeles.


The film is being used as an education tool for teachers and staff at two Holland public schools and has raised over $10,000 dollars in college scholarships.

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“There is a huge challenge to create greater representation of teachers and administrators in our public schools, the film is tackling that issue, all while inspiring Latino students to feel seen and represented in their community,” she said. 

Beyond her filmmaking, Martinez serves as a board member for ALSAME, an organization dedicated to Latino student advancement in Michigan education, a board member for Hope College TRIO Upward Bound and is an active keynote speaker, writer, and mentor for numerous Latino students in the West Michigan community.

“Our students need to be educated for the greater growth of our economy,” she said. “Education means a pathway to generational wealth for our Latino communities. My work and this film is creating those conversations.”

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