The Executive Board of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) recognized Washington D.C. member Claudia Martinez in January for her leadership and political work. Martinez is a Client Services Lead at the Whitman Walker Clinic in Alexandria, Virginia, which focuses on services for the LGBTQ+ population.

A leader in and out of the shop, Martinez participated in several Weekend Warriors canvassing trips this past political season and helped recruit other members from her shop to join in as well, some for the first time. She’s always willing to step up and support other 1199ers, and often volunteers to help Spanish-speaking members who need language support.