Who Was Adela Martinez?
Friday, July 16, 2021
Adela Martinez lived at 434 Manuel Ave SW, in the middle of what is now the National Hispanic Cultural Center. When the NHCC was buying up land to create the campus, Adela refused to move, as she and her family had lived there for decades. Controversy erupted, and people began taking sides. Eventually Adela and her family were allowed to stay, and the campus was built around her home. Adela, who fought off urban renewal bulldozers, politicians and bureaucrats, died in 2000. Walk past her home when next at the NHCC: it seems to perfectly fit the space.
A great reason to visit the NHCC now is to see the Flowering Pear trees, above and below, which dot the 52-acre landscape.
