María Martin, media pioneer and creator of the groundbreaking public radio show “Latino USA”, has passed away at the age of 72 after complications from a medical procedure, according to NBC News.

Her professional life has been dedicated to voicing and telling the stories of Latin Americans in the U.S., inspiring a generation of Latino journalists. Martin broke barriers by becoming the first Latina director of a bilingual radio station, KBBF in Santa Rosa, California, and by being the only “Latino Affairs” editor in NPR’s national newsroom.

Her vision of bringing diversity to the media, especially public radio, led to the creation of “Latino USA”, a program that celebrated Latino culture, featured different Latino groups, and reflected the reality of Latinos in the U.S. Following her work at Latino USA, Martin established the Gracias Vida Center for Media, a non-profit organization in Antigua, Guatemala, where she shared her skills with rural and indigenous journalists in Central America.

In addition to her accomplishments in the U.S., Martin produced a series of radio documentaries, “Después de las Guerras: América Central Depois das Guerras”, which documented the post-civil war period in Central America. She has also reported from Guatemala for media outlets, including NBC Latino. Maria Martin left a significant legacy in promoting diversity in the media and empowering journalists in marginalized communities.

Her archives and papers were donated to the University of Texas at Austin, where they are part of the Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection, in recognition of her impact and contributions.