Crossing Borders, Building Bridges: A Journalist’s Heart in Latin America

Maria Martin has given us the great gift of her story-a riveting account of her pioneering work for decades as a Latina radio journalist working across cultures, languages, and borders. The book is full of fascinating accounts of the invisible labors of reporting, producing, training, and institution-building, and the formidable challenges faced by Latina journalists-and how she met those challenges. The pages shimmer with her spirit and abiding love.
-Dana Frank, Research Professor of History, University of California, Santa Cruz The wonderful Maria Martin has been an inspiration for generations to follow her lead. There are so many of us working in public radio today who can testify how influential she’s been. Her remarkable career includes groundbreaking efforts to change the sound of audio journalism for the better by promoting Latino and Latin American culture and news, and giving voice to many whose stories have needed to be heard. I’ve watched Maria work her magic as a mentor to Indigenous and rural journalists in Latin America. She is an inspiration to us all.
-Mandalit del Barco, Arts and Culture Correspondent, National Public Radio

Maria Martin’s remarkable career features decades of groundbreaking efforts to promote change in radio journalism to address unmet needs in this country and in Latin America, including Bolivia, Nicaragua, and especially Guatemala. Her courageous and caring work as a reporter, producer, and journalism trainer gives voice, enlightens listeners, promotes democracy, and builds bridges of cultural understanding. She is among the finest, most insightful, and courageous journalists of her generation.
-Armando Valdez, Communications scholar and researcher, Los Altos, CA