Program Coordinator

Xitlaly Martinez has come full circle with SCORES. As a young poet-athlete at E.R. Taylor Elementary School in San Francisco, Xitlaly won the National Poetry Slam in fifth grade, performing at the legendary Apollo Theater in New York City. Now, she’s come back to work with SCORES as a program coordinator for San Jose, while she pursues a degree in business at San Jose City College.

The fourth of five children, all born in San Francisco, Xitlaly has played soccer since she started with SCORES in third grade. She captained her soccer team at Lincoln High School all four years.

Poetry has always been a form of expression for this self-professed lover of books and authors. “Poetry is something I feel comfortable with. You mix a little beat, some clever words, and you have to be kind of bare. Poetry is wonderful because though it’s just a group of words it allows you to convey a message and allows people to see you raw. It’s a way of being artistic, of being an artist. And art is beautiful.”

Contact - xitlaly@americascores.org