Friday, February 22, 2019

Milwaukee Community Activist Rodolfo G. Martinez Passed Away

Martinez was a well known community activist and worked at MATC Student Services until he retired in 2005.

Milwaukee, WI - Retired educator, Rodolfo G. Martinez, 70, known fondly on the south side of Milwaukee as "Tato" or "Rudy," passed away on February 20, 2019. 

Born and raised in Cotulla, Texas, Martinez proudly served his country in the Vietnam War and over the years participated in various veteran's activities and organizations in Milwaukee.

As an activist, organizer and candidate, he was very instrumental in the formation of the La Raza Unida Party (RUP) in South Texas. An alternative to the one-party system in Texas, the RUP was established in 1970 to initiate social, economic, and political change for Chicanos through local and state politics. Martinez was also a contributing writer, poet and illustrator for Nosotros: El Pueblo, a La Raza Unida Party newspaper published in Cotulla, Texas.

In the early 1970's, Martinez and his wife Thelma, moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin where they raised their children Rudy and Amarilis.

Martinez became involved in the Latino Civil Rights activist movement in Milwaukee for higher education, job opportunities for Latinos at local breweries and veterans rights. In addition, Martinez was instrumental along with other educational activists who advocated for the Latino enrollment at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) after the August 27, 1970 UWM Takeover that eliminated the practice discrimination that kept Latinos from enrolling.

Martinez was also a Co-founder of the Wisconsin American GI Forum.

In the early 1980's, Martinez graduated from the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee Urban Education Program.

1987-2005 Martinez worked in student services at Milwaukee Area Technical College in various positions related to migrant education, community outreach and multicultural services. He also served as the advisor of the Latino Student Organization and was a proud member of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 212.

He is survived by his wife Thelma and daughter Amarilis, an English Instructor at Milwaukee Area Technical College, as well as his three brothers Raul, Roberto and Ricardo.

Funeral services for Rodolfo G. Martinez will be at the Krause Funeral Home, 12401 West National Avenue, New Berlin, Wisconsin

Visitation:  Thursday, February 28, 2019, from 9:30 AM to 11:15 AM.  

Funeral Service at 11:30 AM. Burial to follow at St. Adalbert Cemetery 3801 South 6th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53204



Posted by H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

February 22, 2019


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