Today we’d like to introduce you to Sonya Martinez-Ortiz.
Hi Sonya, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was raised on Salt Lake City’s Westside by a single mother. Early experiences—including having an incarcerated father—shaped my understanding of the challenges many families face. In high school, I attended a youth leadership camp through the Inclusion Center that introduced me to the language of social justice and sparked a lifelong commitment to community work.
Over the past two decades, I’ve built a career grounded in trauma-informed practice, nonprofit leadership, and community development. I’ve worked across sectors—as a therapist, educator, policy advocate, and executive—always centering equity, healing, and access. Today, I serve as Executive Director of the Rape Recovery Center, where I lead a team committed to supporting survivors and transforming systems.
Founded in 1975 by community members responding to the urgent needs of rape survivors, the Rape Recovery Center has grown into a statewide leader in trauma recovery and prevention. I’m proud that I’ve had the opportunity to continue that legacy—guided by the wisdom of those who mentored me and inspired by the possibility of healing and justice through collective care.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, it hasn’t always been a smooth road. I don’t think meaningful work ever is. I come from a community and family that has experienced systemic inequities firsthand, and I’ve navigated many of those same challenges personally. Being a woman of color in leadership, especially in the nonprofit and advocacy world, often means carrying the weight of expectations while also pushing against long-standing barriers. In my career, there have been times when I was underestimated or the spaces I was in weren’t built for someone with my lived experience and perspective.
There have also been challenges within the systems we’re trying to change—whether it’s confronting institutional resistance to equity work, addressing trauma in communities that are under-resourced, or leading an organization through transformational change. All of the struggles have deepened my commitment. They’ve taught me the power of resilience, the importance of mentorship, and the necessity of community. I’ve learned that healing and justice are not linea, but they are possible when we work collectively.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
The Rape Recovery Center (RRC) has been a trusted part of Utah’s healing landscape since 1974. Born out of grassroots activism and feminist organizing, we have always been rooted in the belief that healing from and ending sexual violence is not only possible but a call to action. We specialize in trauma-informed, survivor-centered services, including crisis support, therapy, individual advocacy, and prevention education—offered to people of all identities and backgrounds.
What sets us apart is our unwavering commitment to showing up with care, accountability, and intention. We meet survivors where they are, recognizing that healing looks different for everyone. Our work extends beyond individual services—we are also deeply engaged in changing the systems and cultural norms that allow sexual violence to persist.
Brand-wise, we are most proud of being a visible, trusted, and inclusive space. Our recent rebrand reflects our values of visibility, dignity, and connection—ensuring survivors and communities know that support is here, and they are not alone. We want readers to know that the Rape Recovery Center is more than a crisis response. We are a place of possibility, collective healing, and long-term commitment to justice and care.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Book Recommendations
1. The Body Is Not an Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor – A powerful, accessible read on radical self-love, body liberation, and healing through a justice-informed lens.
2. All About Love by Bell Hooks – A foundational work on the intersections of love, community, and justice.
3. My Grandmother’s Hands by Resmaa Menakem- A deeply grounding book on racialized trauma and healing, focusing on the wisdom of the body.
4. Emergent Strategy by Adrienne Maree Brown – This book offers a liberatory framework for change and collective care that is deeply grounding and trauma-aware.
5. Organizational Trauma and Healing by Patricia Vivian and Shana Hormann – A practical guide that explores how trauma can live within organizations and offers resilience-based strategies for healing and transformational leadership.
6. Decolonizing Therapy by Jennifer Mullan – A powerful call to reimagine mental health through a decolonial lens, centering historical trauma, systemic oppression, and liberation-based healing.
Pricing:
- All services offered by the RRC are free.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.raperecoverycenter.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raperecoverycenter/#
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/raperecoverycenter/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rape-recovery-center/posts/?feedView=all
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonyamartinez/
