Desiree Martinez

Desiree (Dez) Martinez is the Executive Director of We Are NOT Invisible, a non-profit organization that advocates for and assists individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Born in Los Alamitos, Ca, Dez moved to Fresno, California when she was 16 years old. At the age of 43, she became homeless for the first time after fleeing domestic violence. During her five years being unhoused, Dez lived on the streets due to lack of shelter for domestic violence, in her car, in DV shelters, garages, and rooms for rent. Finally, a local property owner allowed her to move into a renovated flip home. She has now been housed for a year. 

When she was trying to survive on the streets of Fresno, she almost lost her mind. She had a decision to make: lay down and give up or stand up and shout until someone heard her. She decided to stand up, even though her voice cracked and her legs shook. She began to use her photography skills to earn money and help share the stories of the people she met on her journey. After doing dozens of interviews, she noticed that other people living on the streets had the same issues that she had plus others that she had not experienced. She decided to use the tools she had to raise awareness about homelessness and the impossible task of gaining housing once you become unhoused. She began We Are NOT Invisible because being Indigenous and then homeless Dez was treated by society as if she was invisible her entire life. She was determined not to be invisible anymore.

Through We Are NOT Invisible, Dez helps those living unhoused in Fresno meet their basic needs through several projects designed to address the specific challenges that people experiencing homelessness face during different seasons of the year. These include: Potluck in the Park, Share the Warmth, Project H2O, Project Dignity, Project Street Clean, Dream Camp (A safe place to stay while waiting for a shelter bed), Toys & Joys for Girls & Boys, and Basket Full of Love. Wanting to do more, Dez created the Fresno Homeless Union in 2019 - an organization that teaches advocacy skills to people with lived or living experiences of homelessness. Along with her work on the BHHI LEAB, Dez currently serves on the Fresno Madera County Continuum of Care Lived Experience Board. In her spare time, Dez loves time at the beach, listening to Native Drums, photography, poetry, art, hanging out with her son & caring for her 9 rescued dogs.