At just five years old, Esmeralda Martinez’s journey into healthcare began after a hospital visit sparked a lifelong interest in healing and helping. Growing up in a family who utilized one of the only free clinics in San Diego at the time, Esmeralda understands firsthand the barriers marginalized communities face in navigating the healthcare system. As a young adult, Esmeralda continued to explore her interest in healthcare by volunteering at the UCSD Student-Run Free Clinic, where she witnessed care defined not by time limits but by compassion and dignity. Here, Esmeralda discovered social work and its power to advocate for patients beyond the exam room.

Currently pursuing a master’s in social work, Esmeralda is passionate about bridging the gap in mental health access, particularly for low-income and immigrant communities. Her goal is to become a licensed clinical social worker, offering therapy to those often left out of traditional care models while advocating for policy change that integrates mental health into broader healthcare systems.

Esmeralda joined the California HEAL Program to grow as a leader and advocate alongside a community of peers equally committed to equity. She is especially drawn to HEAL’s mission of transforming health care through service, solidarity, and structural change. In the future, Esmeralda envisions working at both the clinical and policy levels–providing direct care while helping shape a system where mental health is treated with the same urgency, accessibility, and respect as physical health.