Mack Martinez

“I think Hightower has pushed and has made some headway, it’s an ‘us’ issue. Until we’ve all crossed that line, until we’re all equal, ain’t none of us equal. I think that came across, and that’s why he was respected by African American leaders and by Hispanic leaders. It wasn’t an accident that John Vlcek also happened to be gay. That was a big plus because he helped reach out to that community. He brought everybody to the table.”

Mack Martinez worked as a statewide organizer in Hightower’s first campaign for Ag Commissioner. After the election, he served as Special Projects Coordinator. In part due to Mack’s work, Hightower’s campaign recruited the farmworkers in south Texas in the 1982 race. They had never been included in an agriculture commissioner race. No one had ever gone to speak to them, no one cared. They were just this outside group, and Hightower’s staff were the first ones that reached out to them and started working with them and finding out what their issues were. They were at the table, they were a part of the inner circle. Click here for a short video of Mack’s reminisces of some of those struggles.

Mack Martinez worked as a statewide organizer in Hightower’s first campaign for Ag Commissioner. After the election, he served as Special Projects Coordinator. In part due to Mack’s work, Hightower’s campaign recruited the farmworkers in south Texas in the 1982 race. They had never been included in an agriculture commissioner race. No one had ever gone to speak to them, no one cared. They were just this outside group, and Hightower’s staff were the first ones that reached out to them and started working with them and finding out what their issues were. They were at the table, they were a part of the inner circle. Click here for a short video of Mack’s reminisces of some of those struggles.