Who We Are

Beyond Barriers of Central Texas

Martha Lujan is the driving force and heart behind Beyond Barriers of Central Texas. Born and raised in El Paso by a single mother in public housing, Martha grew up surrounded by poverty, trauma, and systems that too often failed the people they were meant to serve. Yet from those same circumstances, she forged her leadership, empathy, and purpose.

Martha’s story is not one of escape from hardship, it’s a story of transformation through it. The very barriers that shaped her early life became the foundation of her “why”: to build pathways of hope, dignity, and equity for others. Where some saw poverty, Martha saw potential. Where systems saw statistics, she saw stories worth fighting for.

Known for her honesty, courage, and deep connection to community, Martha leads with transparency and heart. She is never afraid to challenge systems to do better—balancing truth with compassion and lived experience with professional expertise. Her advocacy is both personal and powerful; she has walked the same roads as the people she now serves, navigating the same health, education, and social service systems she helps others overcome today.

Her leadership extends beyond Beyond Barriers. Martha serves on the Austin Public Health Board and Commissioners, is a board member of the Del Valle Food Co-op, and contributes her voice to advisory groups like the Farm Share Austin Community Advisory Committee. For over a decade, she’s also volunteered with Bridges to Life, a restorative justice ministry helping heal lives within Texas correctional facilities.

Martha’s community influence continues to grow whether leading Pláticas en Español on mental health with NAMI, sharing insights in the Hays Free Press, or helping establish the Del Valle Social Resource Center in partnership with The University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing. In every role, she brings authenticity, cultural humility, and the belief that leadership means standing beside the people you serve.

For Martha, this work is not charity, it’s justice. Beyond Barriers of Central Texas was born from her belief that no one should have to face the challenges she once did alone. Through her leadership, she continues to create spaces where voices are heard, healing is possible, and entire communities can rise beyond barriers, together.