María Gutiérrez Spencer (1919-1992) "Advocate for Social Justice"

Historical marker location:

NM Highway 138, Las Cruces, New Mexico

( NMSU campus on Espina Street between E. University Avenue and Steward Street)

Punished for not speaking English in school, María Gutiérrez Spencer devoted her life to validating the Indo-Hispano experience. A graduate of University of California, Berkeley and New Mexico State University, she pioneered bilingual and bicultural education in New Mexico, founding BOLD: Bicultural Orientation and Language Development in Silver City. Maria battled cancer for 50 years, but traveled worldwide to train teachers. She was honored by the Wonder Woman Foundation with Rosa Parks in 1981.