Leyla Martinez

Leyla Martinez is a graduate of Columbia University, where she received her BA in Human Rights and is currently a Soros Justice Fellow. She is also the Executive Director/Founder of the Beyond the Box Initiative (BTB), which is an organization that assists formerly incarcerated people overcome barriers by providing supportive services that are essential to achieving their academic goals (e.g., housing, employment, scholarships, mentorship, counseling, tutoring, etc.). Prior to starting BTB Leyla was a Program Coordinator at the Center for Justice at Columbia University where she helped to organize events like the annual Beyond the Bars Conference and more.

Ms. Martinez is a criminal justice reform advocate, who has engaged in advocacy with the National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls, Welfare Rights Initiative Justice League NYC. Women's March, #cut50 and many others. She has been invited to speak on panel discussions at The White House, Google, UCLA, Columbia University and other venues to discuss the effects of incarceration on women, children and communities.

She was a My Brother’s Keeper Alliance Fellow with NYC’s Mayor’s Office, where she conducted research and raised awareness around efforts to improve the educational, economic, and civic well-being of boys and men of color. She serves as a criminal justice reform advisor to LatinoJustice PRLDEF, #cut50 and is on the board of The Canary Impact Fund.

She is a Program for Academic Leadership and Service Scholar, Justice in Education Scholar, Gilman Scholar, Joey O’Loughlin Scholar, Mother’s Day Scholar, Women’s Forum Education Fund Fellow, Beyond the Bars Fellow, Earth Institute Center for Environmental Sustainability Fellow and Women’s Independence Scholar.