Vilma Socorro Martínez

Vilma Socorro Martínez (born in 1943) is an American lawyer, civil rights activist and diplomat currently serving as the U.S. Ambassador to Argentina. She is the first woman to hold this position. Vilma Socorro Martínez was born to a Mexican American family in San Antonio, Texas, in 1943, and was raised in a climate of certain racial hostility. An honor student in high school, for example, she found herself steered away from academics by a counse... more

Vilma Socorro Martínez (born in 1943) is an American lawyer, civil rights activist and diplomat currently serving as the U.S. Ambassador to Argentina. She is the first woman to hold this position. Vilma Socorro Martínez was born to a Mexican American family in San Antonio, Texas, in 1943, and was raised in a climate of certain racial hostility. An honor student in high school, for example, she found herself steered away from academics by a counselor who tried to convince her that someone of her background would be better off attending a trade school than a major university. Martínez ignored that advice and instead enrolled in the University of Texas at Austin. While working her way through college in the biochemistry lab, Martínez met a professor who recognized her potential. In marked contrast to her high-school counselor, the professor insisted she pursue further education; after receiving her bachelor's degree, Martínez went on to Columbia Law School, and graduated in 1967. She... less