In recognition of her exceptional contributions, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Cincinnati proudly honors Maritza Maldonado-Dyer in its “Kudos Corner”.
As she prepares to retire, Maritza’s unwavering dedication to eradicating the stigma associated with addiction and mental illness while simultaneously empowering her community remains steadfast. Her remarkable accomplishments, relentless determination, and engagement with the Hispanic community have firmly established her as a role model for all Cincinnati’s emerging communities.
After 25 years of dedicated service to the Latino community, Maritza is retiring as a Clinical Specialist/Addiction Counselor Assistant at the Addiction Services Council. Nevertheless, Maritza believes in the power of prevention, and she will continue her efforts in contracting with PreventionFIRST!, providing information and training to parents and students on the dangers of substance use and misuse. She firmly believes in the transformative power of prevention.
Maritza Maldonado-Dyer was born in Puerto Rico and migrated with her parents to New York City until the age of 16, when she returned to her native island. In 1993, Maritza received the Domestic Violence Awareness Award from the Governor of Puerto Rico, Rafael Hernandez Colon. In 1999, she began her advocacy work as a bilingual Hispanic/Latino family support worker for the Every Child Succeeds Program at Santa Maria Community Services. Thanks to her advocacy efforts in Cincinnati, changes were made in hospitals and government agencies to better serve and ensure health equity for the Hispanic/Latino community. While working at Santa Maria Community Services, she began identifying the barriers families faced, which led to the creation of the Bienestar Program, now known as The Wellness Program. In its first year, 200 families benefited from taking part in this programming.
Maritza Maldonado-Dyer’s consistent commitment has served as an inspiration for other Hispanic/Latino community leaders to collaborate effectively and constructively in fostering a network of trust, support, and optimism. During her tenure as Chair of the Greater Cincinnati Apoyo Latino Coalition from 2005 to 2009, Maldonado-Dyer’s efforts within the Hispanic/Latino community and her leadership role earned her the Bridge Builders Award from the Hamilton County Community Action Agency in 2009. Furthermore, she was honored by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, Senator Bill Harris, President of the Ohio Senate, and Representative Tyrone K. Yates as a pivotal leader within the Hispanic/Latino community in Cincinnati, Ohio. From 2009 to 2011, Maldonado-Dyer was a Supervisor for the Interpreter at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
In 2021, PreventionFirst! honored Maritza with the Hutzel Partner Award for her relevant support in providing prevention information and training in Spanish to her community. Her dedication to offering valuable resources that empower families is commendable. Maritza believes in the transformative power of prevention and understands the significance of providing comprehensive research data and educating parents on the early signs of substance use. By equipping parents with this knowledge, she played a pivotal role in reducing high-risk behaviors and curbing substance use among youth.
Maritza’s leadership in combating addiction and mental health stigma and empowering her community will be remembered long after her retirement. Maritza’s legacy of strong advocacy for research-based, prevention-focused strategies to reduce youth substance use will live on in the health of our Cincinnati Hispanic/Latino community.
Image and information courtesy of Martiza Maldonado-Dyer, PreventionFIRST!, and the Apoyo Latino: The Greater Cincinnati Latino Coalition’s website.
Written by Lorena Mora-Mowry, host of the Latina Today Podcast and Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Cincinnati Board Member.
