for the purpose of promoting hope, peace, tolerance and social change. In 1999, Martinez wrote a book on the Art of Verdadism called Soraida's Verdadism: The Intellectual Voice of a Puerto Rican Woman on Canvas; Unique, Controversial Images and Style. The Verdadism art style has been featured in many magazines and newspapers, as well as on radio and television; many of the Verdadism paintings have been used as covers for books and scholarly journals. Educational organizations and elementary school teachers also use the artist's paintings and art book to teach students about tolerance and diversity. The Verdadism Art Book is also being used as a textbook for a visual rhetoric course at Willamette University. Awards and recognition In 1996, Martinez was appointed by the governor of New Jersey, Christine Todd Whitman, to a seat on the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, where she was a member until she resigned in 2000. In 2008, Martinez was recognized (along with other notable actors, artists, designers, directors and writers) as one of the 15 most prominent Hispanic Americans in the Arts. In 2013, Martinez was singled out by the Huffington Post as one of the ten best Latino artists in the U.S. Through her art, Martinez is an advocate and humanitarian who visits young children in schools in order to encourage and inspire them to strive to achieve their fullest potential. Martinez is frequently asked to do exhibitions on her Verdadism art and philosophy at universities, institutions and corporations. Quotes "In this society, we have been conditioned to be what people want us to be. We--as individuals--are afraid to be individuals. That's because American society...is actually not so open-minded when it comes to new ideas or different races. And, as human beings, we all know that; therefore, many of us have the terror of demasking ourselves. Most of us would rather die than let someone really know us." "Art can plant a seed in someone's mind." "I tell... kids about empowering themselves through education. And they see me as a role model. A professional artist. A Puerto Rican woman. I made it. But I wish someone had told me what I'm telling them." References Sources Encyclopedia Latina: History, Culture, and Society in the United States by Ilan Stavans, Harold Augenbra - Published Grolier Academic Reference. Social Work with Latinos: A Cultural Assets Paradigm by Melvin Delgado - Published 2006 Oxford University