Martha Alemán’s journey from hardship to community leadership in Boyle Heights reflects the sacrifices many immigrant mothers make in Los Angeles. This month, her family celebrates a milestone as her daughter graduates as a nurse.
Martha Alemán proves that perseverance can change a family’s future. Her life has been shaped by struggle, sacrifice, and hope. It took her three attempts to cross the border and reach the United States, but she never gave up.
“Yes, it was very difficult, but we made it,” says the Zumba instructor in Boyle Heights. “The effort my husband and I made all these years was worth it. We have three wonderful children, and now our youngest, my daughter, is graduating as a nurse on May 20. She’ll be the first person in our family to graduate. We’re so emotional about it. I’m going to cook her birria to celebrate.”
Martha met her husband Francisco, now the owner of a mechanic shop, in Mexico City. They were very young when they married at 17. Their first son was born when they were 18, and by 19 they had decided to migrate north.
“Life in Mexico was very hard for us,” she says. “We decided to take that step, but it wasn’t easy.”
Her husband crossed first. Martha followed later, but the journey was brutal. She failed twice trying to cross the border. By the third attempt, she was ready to return home.
“I told my husband we should just leave it alone, that it was too hard. I couldn’t do it anymore,” Martha recalls. “I was in Tijuana. During those first attempts we crossed through the desert. I saw dead people, others covered in thorns and cuts. We slept in the brush at night. Everyone looked exhausted and full of suffering. Our feet were destroyed, and all we saw was abandoned clothing scattered everywhere. One time we went two days without food or water. I felt like I was collapsing.”
But encouraged by her husband, she tried one last time.
“The third time worked. I made it to Los Angeles.”
Martha’s story reflects the experience of countless immigrant mothers who risk everything so their children can have a better future. This Mother’s Day season, she says, she is receiving the greatest gift imaginable: her daughter Lesly’s graduation.
“My husband and I sometimes sit and reflect on how difficult this journey was,” she says. “And we always come to the same conclusion. It was worth it.”
A Life Defined by Resilience
Martha is not only an example as a mother. She also carries the resilient spirit shared by so many immigrants: strong, compassionate, and always willing to help others.
“In my first years in this country, I worked the jobs many immigrant women work,” she says. “I cleaned houses for years. I worked as a seamstress in a factory, at a tortilla shop, cleaning a gym at night, and in a restaurant. The schedules were exhausting. I would come home at sunrise and keep going, taking care of my husband and children. As mothers and Latina women, we give everything.”
She says one of her hardest experiences came while working at the gym, where she was violently attacked.
“I had to recover and keep moving forward,” she says.
The hardest part was leaving her children with neighbors or babysitters while she worked. Even with both she and her husband employed, money was always tight.
Later, while working at La Parrilla in East Los Angeles, Martha decided to try Zumba classes after gaining weight and struggling emotionally.
“Some friends encouraged me,” she says. “I would take my daughter in a stroller to class in the mornings. Little by little, I started feeling better. My body thanked me for it. The emotional lows I used to have disappeared, and I became more positive.”
Her dedication quickly stood out. After several years, she was asked to substitute for an absent instructor.
“At first I didn’t think I could do it,” she says. “People criticized me. Only a few students came. They didn’t trust me. But little by little they accepted me. They saw I was serious and committed.”
Eventually, teaching transformed her life.
“I told my husband I wanted to dedicate myself to teaching classes. He didn’t take it well at first,” she says with a laugh. “It was almost like he was saying, ‘Me or Zumba?’ But once he saw where this was going, he accepted it.”
For Martha, Zumba became more than exercise. It became therapy, a refuge, and a source of healing. She passed that feeling on to her students.
Over the years, her classes evolved into a close community of about 50 women who support one another beyond the dance floor.
“They realized who I am,” she says. “Someone who listens, someone who helps however I can. Many women come with health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure, and stress. Then they notice their symptoms improve. During the pandemic and now with immigration raids, we support each other. If someone needs a ride, I give it to them. If they need me to pick them up, I do it. We are there for one another.”
One woman in her class lost her daughter during Christmas. Martha stayed by her side through the grief.
“She later told me, ‘I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been there.’”
Martha says she has learned the importance of listening without crossing personal boundaries.
“You have to listen, but not interfere in family matters,” she says. “You have to respect privacy. Listen and stay quiet.”
Martha’s Class Becomes a Boyle Heights Institution
Over time, Martha’s Zumba classes have become something of a local institution in East Los Angeles.
“People ask, ‘Where’s Martha’s class?’” she says proudly.
The road was not easy. At first, neighbors complained about the noise and even called the police.
“Maybe it was jealousy,” she says with a laugh. “Sometimes people don’t know how to accept dozens of women exercising, laughing, and being happy together. But this is our way of reclaiming space as women.”
She says the same spirit of unity has helped the women face fear during immigration enforcement operations.
“We have to live through it together,” she says. “Helping each other.”
One husband of a student once joked to her: “Martha, I better send my wife to your class, otherwise the lioness comes out.”
Martha still has dreams ahead of her. She knows her role in the community has grown larger, and her commitment to her students remains unconditional.
Her sons Rodrigo and Joshua, along with Lesly, continue to be the center of life for Martha and Francisco.
“My daughter’s dream is to work at Children’s Hospital,” she says proudly. “And I believe she’s going to make it.”
Before finishing, Martha offers one final message to Latina women who have never tried Zumba:
“Do it. It doesn’t matter what physical condition you’re in. You’re wasting time if you keep putting it off. One cumbia can change your life.”
