Esther Martinez’s path into community organizing is rooted in both lived experience and a deep curiosity about how change happens. Originally from Ciudad del Maíz in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, Esther studied at the Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí before moving to Chicago nine years ago with her husband and two children. Like many who come to organizing work, her journey didn’t begin with a title, but with a desire to better understand and support the communities she was already part of.
That curiosity led her to become part of the first cohort of the Community Learning Partnership–Chicago (CLP) pilot program in August 2024. At the time, Esther was working with Northwest Center, one of the partners involved in developing the CLP curriculum. Through that connection, she learned about the program and saw it as an opportunity to grow. She recalls being drawn to the chance to learn more about organizing while also connecting with others who shared a similar interest in community work.
Before CLP, Esther had already taken part in organizing efforts at the local level, including campaigns within her children’s schools and a transportation campaign in Belmont Cragin. Those experiences gave her an introduction to collective action, but CLP helped deepen that understanding. Through the program, she gained a stronger grasp of organizing strategies and tools, along with a broader perspective on how policies, relationships, and community dynamics intersect.
One of the most meaningful takeaways for Esther was the importance of relationships. She points to one-to-one conversations as a core part of organizing, emphasizing the need to understand people’s self-interest and build connections that are grounded in trust. For her, this relational approach is what turns individual concerns into collective power.
Now stepping into her role as a Community Organizer with the Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP), Esther brings both her lived experience and her training through CLP into the Community Learning Partnership–Chicago initiative. She sees this work as necessary, especially for those who care deeply about what is happening in their communities today. Being part of organizing efforts, she says, is about building momentum and power together in ways that can create lasting change.
Esther encourages others who are interested in organizing to consider CLP as a starting point. She views it as a meaningful investment for those looking to strengthen their skills and better understand the role organizing plays within the fabric of a city. For Esther,
community organizing is not separate from the community itself. It is, as she puts it, at the heart of it.
