Martha Avelar’s commitment and dedication to the El Centro del Pueblo community is very personal. A “local girl,” she was raised in Echo Park. She attended Cortez (Placencia) Elementary, Virgil Jr. High and Belmont High Schools, prior to graduating with a Bachelors degree from U.C. Santa Barbara followed by a Masters degree in Educational Administration. Early on, she was a student worker for El Centro, and eventually served as Counselor. She has been a public servant her entire career, serving as Field Representative for then Assemblyman Richard Polanco covering Echo Park, East Los Angeles, and Northeast Los Angeles. Her service continued as a teacher at Logan Elementary School in Echo Park, and now is Principal of Hoover St. School in the Pico-Union area of Los Angeles. Martha’s community advocacy extended through her work as a Board Member for El Centro del Pueblo.
