Edwin Martinez, MSW is a Co-Founder and the Executive Director of Centro Sanar. He received his Master’s in Social Work from the University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration with a concentration in Clinical Social Work, and since 2015 has served as a supervisor, mental health therapist, case manager, and youth outreach specialist. Mr. Martinez has worked across communities accompanying adults and families in their journey to heal and thrive. Mr. Martinez was born and raised in Chicago. His family is originally from Guererro, Mexico. He is a proficient Spanish speaker, first-generation Latino-American, and the first in his family to receive a Master’s degree. Edwin continues to work in developing healing spaces utilizing violence prevention, restorative justice, and mutual aid frameworks in community-based settings. In collaboration with colleagues, Edwin aims to develop a community mental health model that provides an alternative to the current mental health industry.