David Martinez III

Why are you in Arizona?
I have been in Arizona since I was born on the way to the hospital in my hometown of Marana, Arizona. My family runs generations-deep. The rich soil of cotton farms is our hands, and being a first-generation Wildcat, I bleed red & blue. As a native son of Arizona, I’m committed to our state and raising the voices and values of the resilient, hard-working people throughout our communities.

What concerns you?
The high poverty that Arizona’s youngest population experience concerns me most because I lived it as one of six children raised by working class parents in rural Arizona, and I see that without attention, this population will be woefully unprepared as they enter the post-secondary education opportunities and the workforce. We as a state will be in a world of hurt if our younger populations, especially young people of color, do not have the support and services needed to excel and become productive citizens.

Why would you leave?
You’d almost have to drag me out of Arizona as I cling to the deep roots and strong network I have in my home state.