Youth Voice: Meet Coatlupe “Lupita” Martinez
Written by Samantha Suarez
Coatlupe “Lupita” Martinez (they/she) is a member of the Open Doors Youth Council, and that’s only one part of who they are. They’re an herbalist, a student, a youth organizer, an older sibling, and someone on their healing journey. Indigeneity is central to their identity and worldview, shaping both how they understand healing and how they show up in community.
Born in San Francisco and raised in Oakland after being displaced by gentrification, Lupita has spent the last decade calling Oakland home. Their lived experience, and the wisdom that comes from it, guide their work with Open Doors and beyond.
From Lived Experience to Open Doors
Lupita first learned about Open Doors through their involvement with another youth council focused on advocacy within the juvenile justice system. A facilitator who knew Lupita’s background encouraged them to apply.
“She knew about my lived experience and my passion for behavioral health and recovery,” Lupita shared. “She thought I would be a great fit, so she connected me with the person who was recruiting folks… and that’s how I got connected with Open Doors.”
That connection would become a meaningful turning point.
Navigating a Broken System
Lupita’s motivation to work with Open Doors is deeply rooted in their own experiences navigating behavioral health systems at a young age.
“Because of how the system and industry work, my experience in the mental health industrial complex left me with a lot more harm than I had already come in with,” they explained.
At the time, Lupita wasn’t thinking about advocacy or systems change; they were focused on surviving. “But as my healing progressed, I realized that my purpose is to work alongside my lived experience and support other young people in being rooted in their own autonomy.”
What It Really Means to Listen to Youth
One of Open Doors’ core pillars is ensuring that youth are heard. For Lupita, that value is not just aspirational, but essential.
“Sometimes, even when spaces have the intention of being youth-centered, things can get lost,” they said. “Our stories don’t get taken seriously until it gets to a certain level.”
For Lupita, being heard is inseparable from trust and autonomy.
“Adults need to understand that we’re all experts in our own lives,” they explained. “You can read textbooks and get certified, but if you haven’t lived it, you don’t fully understand it.”
They reflected on a quote from a transformative mental health class that deeply resonated with them: giving the patient the role of the healer for themselves.
“For my personal path to recovery, I know myself better than anyone else. That autonomy is so important for young people.”
Challenging Harmful Assumptions
When asked what assumptions adults often bring into youth spaces, Lupita pointed to judgment, often rooted in fear, but still deeply harmful.
“That judgment acts like a wall,” they said. “It can cause more damage, especially for young people who already haven’t felt seen by family, community, or systems that are supposed to support us.”
What makes the difference, Lupita shared, is the presence of safe adults who create judgment-free spaces where youth can be vulnerable without fear of punishment or institutionalization.
“Those adults just met me where I was at,” they said. “They didn’t rush into crisis mode. Not everything needs to lead back to institutionalization or carceral systems. Those often escalate situations instead of helping.”
Reclaiming Their Voice Through Open Doors’ Youth Council
Being part of the Open Doors Youth Council helped Lupita see their own voice differently.
“Open Doors gave me the language to put what I was feeling into perspective,” they shared. “Celeste, one of the facilitators, helped me understand how powerful lived experience is and how much wisdom storytelling brings into a space.”
Importantly, Lupita emphasized that the Youth Council never pressured members to share more than they wanted or turn their trauma into a performance.
“There wasn’t pressure to share everything or become tokenized,” they said. “It was about young people having autonomy over our own stories, and telling them when and how we want.”
What True Youth Engagement Looks Like
For organizations seeking meaningful youth involvement, Lupita’s advice is clear: lead with a trauma-informed lens.
“You can’t pressure people when they’re not ready — especially trauma survivors,” they said. “Listen without trying to fix. Don’t make assumptions.”
That intentionality, they explained, is what prevents tokenization.
Youth Council Impact in Action
The Open Doors Youth Council plays an active role in shaping Open Doors Training itself. Members contribute directly to curriculum development, offering feedback rooted in lived experience.
“We were able to take the training ourselves and give really thorough feedback to transform the process,” Lupita shared. “It was grounding for me to have our perspectives uplifted in this way.
Healing Beyond Systems
Outside of Open Doors, Lupita is studying herbalism, focusing on medicinal plants and Indigenous healing practices that support young people in recovery.
“There’s a huge gap between the mental health industrial complex, youth autonomy, and Indigenous healing ideologies,” they explained. “Herbalism has been a beautiful way to connect with my roots and center full-person healing.”
Lupita is also a youth co-founder of Radical Monarchs, an organization supporting gender-expansive youth of color through social justice education and self-empowerment. Founded by Lupita’s mother and tia, Radical Monarchs now has chapters across the country.
“We have badges such as Black Lives Matter, Radical Pride, and Radical Healing,” Lupita shared. “Everything is rooted in our communities and the resistance we carry.”
Moving Forward
Lupita’s story is a reminder that youth are not problems to be fixed; they are experts in their own lives. When we listen without judgment, create space without pressure, and lead with trust, we make room for healing that is autonomy-centered, dignified, and real.
Editorial Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
