Individual | Inducted 2024
Kenneth Martín-Ocasio has been unwavering in his dedication to advancing the professional, social, economic, and educational opportunities for marginalized individuals, particularly within the Latinx and LGBTQ+ communities. His record of leadership includes serving as president of the DuPage Hispanic Task Force and co-chair of the Latino Consortium. His advocacy extends to influential organizations such as the Illinois Latino Agenda and the Latino Youth Action Coalition, where he actively champions for social and economic equity. Within advisory councils such as the DCFS Latino Advisory Council and the Cook County President’s Latino Advisory Council, he amplifies the voices of underrepresented communities, advocating for policies that address their unique needs.
As a longstanding board member of the Association of Latinos/as/xs Motivating Action (ALMA), Martín-Ocasio has played a pivotal role in advancing equal rights for Latinx and LGBTQ+ individuals. His mentorship has shaped the trajectories of numerous scholarship recipients, and he played a pivotal role in establishing ALMA’s Youth Advisory Board. His advocacy for marriage equality has been vocal and visible, with media appearances and active participation in legislative campaigns. His impact reverberated further when he co-chaired the National LGBTQ Task Force’s Creating Change conference in Chicago in 2016.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in Puerto Rico, Martín-Ocasio earned a Bachelor of Arts in Special Education and a Master of Science in Health Services Administration from Northeastern Illinois University. He pursued these degrees after relocating to Chicago from Puerto Rico at the age of 18, underscoring his commitment to advancing equity and opportunity for marginalized communities.
At the time of his induction into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame, Martín-Ocasio serves as the Senior Vice President of Community Integration at Aunt Martha’s Health & Wellness and as a member of Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s Hispanic Employment Plan Advisory Council.