George Rithm Martinez
| George Martinez | |
|---|---|
| Born |
March 11, 1974 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Nationality | American of Puerto Rican Descent |
| Alma mater | Brooklyn College, Borough of Manhattan Community College |
| Occupation | Nonprofit director, educator, advocate, activist, artist, author, cultural ambassador, political scientist |
| Employer | Pace University, Global Block, Independent Consultant |
| Awards | Union Square Award |
| Website |
globalblock |
George Martinez, (born March 11, 1974), also known as "George Rithm Martinez" and "Hon. George Martinez", is an American educator, activist, artist and hip-hop political pioneer. He is an adjunct professor of political science at Pace University and a cultural/ hip-hop ambassador for the U.S. Department of State. He is a former elected Democratic Party district leader in the 51st Assembly District in Sunset Park, Brooklyn and a former Assistant Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the Office of the New York State Attorney General. He is the first hip-hop artist elected to political office in New York.
Martinez is the founder and director of the nonprofit organization, The Global Block Foundation. In 2011, he became associated with New York City's Occupy Wall Street and Occupy the Hood movement, and he recorded a hip-hop anthem music video, called Occupation Freedom, in connection with the movement. Occupation Freedom, the OWS hip-hop anthem was released on the Occupy This Album compilation album which feature artists such as Jackson Browne, David Crosby & Graham Nash, Willie Nelson and filmmaker Michael Moore among others.
In 2012, he organized an occupy inspired electoral direct action called Bum Rush The Vote, which fueled his candidacy for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives to represent the newly drawn 7th Congressional District in New York City. Martinez is the first Occupy Wall Street activist to secure a place on a Congressional ballot. His candidacy drew widespread media attention including a cover story in the Village Voice.
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