“Congratulations to USC Annenberg alum James D. Martinez (MA Communication Management ’18) who was sworn in as a trustee for the Fresno County Board of Education toward the end of 2020, breaking ground as the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in Fresno County, (Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Alumni Association).
My alma mater covered my recent election to the Fresno County Board of Education in this A-mazing article and I couldn’t be more honored! Thank you, USC Annenberg Alumni association for the recognition.
I’m proud to be a Trojan and proud to give the LGBTQ+ community in Fresno a voice at the table. It has taken our community a long time to get to this point. I credit my time at USC for preparing me professionally, but all credit goes to our majority LGBTQ+ team and the voters of Fresno County’s Area 3 for this seat! As vice president Kamala Harris said “I may be the first but I won’t be the last.”
I hope to continue to pave the way for other LGBTQ+ individuals in Fresno County, the Central Valley, and beyond to ensure their journey is easier for them than it was for me.
James D. Martinez – Trustee, Fresno County Board of Education, Area 3