Dr. Martín Alberto Gonzalez is a Xicano raised in Oxnard, California. He completed his undergraduate studies at California State University, Northridge, then earned his doctorate from the Cultural Foundations of Education Department at Syracuse University, where he became the first Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellow in the university’s history. Because he personally observed his older siblings and his community’s talents and interests be denied and repressed due to a lack of resources and opportunities, he became interested in issues related to social justice. As a teacher-scholar-activist, Dr. Gonzalez takes pride in telling stories that challenge stereotypes and empower his community and communities alike.