Bus Operator Giselle Martinez Named Women’s Committee Coordinator

JULY 8 -- Bus Operator Giselle Martinez – a published author, an active union member, and the former president of a non-profit childcare provider – is the new Working Women’s Committee and Family Assistance Coordinator, President Tony Utano and Secretary-Treasurer Richard Davis announced Friday.

A Bus Operator in the TA Surface Division for seven years, Martinez penned an autobiography, “The Lady of the Miracle” (La Dama del Milagro) which chronicles the struggles she faced in her life and how she overcame them.

She served as President of the Parent’s Policy Council at the Cypress Hills Child-Care Corporation for two consecutive terms. And she remains inspired, she said, by a near-death experience during childbirth that gave her a new sense of purpose: empowering women.

“There is nothing impossible in life,” she said. “Everything you set your mind to is possible with hard work and dedication, and that is exactly the goal we intend to accomplish in the TWU Local 100 Women’s Committee.”

Martinez, a mother of four, is a 2019 graduate of Touro College where she earned an Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts. She is currently pursuing her Baccalaureate in Psychology with a minor in early childhood education.

She has been a steadfast collaborator with several grassroots and non-profit organizations that uplift women by providing financial and educational resources to those in need. Her background in the education sector bolsters her ability to connect with working women and help them feel supported, she said.

Davis said Martinez will be able to use her unique background for the betterment of women throughout Local 100. “Giselle’s energy and drive, combined with her resilience, will be vital assets to the Women’s Committee and our Union,” Davis said.

Some of Martinez other proud achievements include:
    Participant in the Las Hermanas de Apoyo Foundation
    Founder of EMPODERATE MUJER: Tu Tienes el Control de tu Mente! --A group established to provide positive empowerment and support to 245 members.
    Created a podcast titled EMPODERATE MUJER, shedding light on positive messages via social media platforms.
    Day Care owner from 2010-2013 providing working mothers with safe, secure, and affordable childcare.