The LPA Celebrates Latine Heritage Month with Yo Soy! Support and Culture
Andrea Muñiz Ortega is a native of Mexico who emigrated to Wisconsin six years ago.
by Jonathan Gramling
Andrea Muñiz Ortega was born and raised in a community near Mexico City, Mexico. She studied communications in college in Mexico and in the process, she met and fell in love with an American from the La Crosse, Wisconsin area. They ended up getting divorced and Muñiz Ortega decided to explore Wisconsin.
“I started traveling and learned more about the state,” Muñiz Ortega said. “When I visited Madison, I felt a different vibe here and more diversity and activities that I enjoyed. So that was a big reason to move here.”
Like many immigrants from Latin America, Muñiz Ortega’s experience and education in Mexico did not transition well to Wisconsin.
“I was looking for a job that was more specifically about my career,” Muñiz Ortega said. “I just changed my immigration status and at the beginning, you take any job that you can find sometimes. Before I was in a restaurant, but that really wasn’t my passion or career. After some months, I heard about this job in Indeed or a similar service. What I liked was it was in communications and working for a nonprofit. My previous job in Mexico was working for a nonprofit there. Even though it is different because of love or how to get money or even like the sense of community is different, I liked the root, joining forces for the community. That’s why I applied for this job.
Muñiz Ortega got her opportunity from UNIDOS Against Domestic Violence.
“I started doing communications and outreach,” Muñiz Ortega said. “And now I am the development and communications manager.”
Muñiz Ortega is committed to the work and mission of UNIDOS.
“UNIDOS has been around for 30 years,” Muñiz Ortega said. “It’s our 30th anniversary. UNIDOS is an important organization because we provide different resources for victims of domestic violence and human trafficking, specifically for the Latinx and immigrant communities. And we are one of a few organizations that have a cultural-relevant staff, so we can provide better services for the people who have limited English-speaking understanding or maybe they just want to connect with someone who speaks the same language and understand more about their culture. That’s why it is important for people to know we are here and that even though migrating to a new country is very hard with a lot of challenges, they can know that they have a safe space here and that we can provide any kind of support that they need. I wanted to explore this new area. And I know for an organization that it is also very important because it combines sometimes with communications. Sometimes, it is important to tell our story in order to tell the audience more about your organization, your mission and your audience as well. It’s challenging. I’ve been learning a lot because it’s different as I am exploring this new position.”
Muñiz Ortega feels that it is important for Latinx professionals to be visible as administrators in Dane County government and organizations.
“I can say that I don’t know a lot of Latinx government managers so far,” Muñiz Ortega said. “I think it is important to have these types of roles to bring a voice from the community, from the Latinx community. And that we are trying to open this space for other professionals who have a Latinx background who are also in charge of these types of roles. That’s one of the things that I have been thinking about lately. Even though there are a lot of professionals and people from Latin America who have great roles. Right now, I don’t know a lot. So I think it is important that I represent UNIDOS and offer the community as being the development and communications manager.”
Muñiz Ortega is also an artisan that she pursues in her free time.
“I love to teach arts and crafts and educate people about Mexican culture,” Muñiz Ortega said. “I collaborate a lot with the Textile Arts Center of Madison or libraries or community centers or other organizations that are curious and want to bring bilingual programming to their spaces, not only to have more diversity, but also to open their opportunity for Spanish-speaking people to connect with their roots and with new things that they haven’t seen before.”
She especially likes working with children.
“I think it is special working with children to open their curiosity, to cultivate their imaginations as well,” Muñiz Ortega reflected. “I think it’s important for them to see in the arts that they can have a different language sometimes to express who we are, what they are thinking or feeling. I think art can give you that connection with something that you can really see what you feel using different art materials or techniques that can give you that opportunity.”
Muñiz Ortega has been enjoying the Wisconsin outdoors, especially now.
In my free time, I love going for walks. I like the autumns here in the U.S. I enjoy looking at the leaves that are turning their colors.”
Muñiz Ortega also enjoys keeping in touch with her Mexican heritage.
“I also listen to music, especially cumbia and Latin American singers,” Muñiz Ortega said. “I also love to cook for myself, but also for other people as well. What my favorite food is is a hard question because I love food. But I would say it can be something very simple and like comfort Mexican foods are simply yes. You can have them anytime. You don’t need to have a lot of ingredients. That would be my first choice, quesadillas.”
Muñiz Ortega was surprised when she was notified that she was a recipient of a 2026 Yo Soy recognition by the Latino Professional Association
“I’ve never had a recognition like this before,” Muñiz Ortega said. “So I was surprised. But then when I realized what this was about, I felt very honored and happy. I think it is important to recognize anyone who has a talent. But usually in this country, I think it is important to recognize people from other cultures and backgrounds. So I am very happy to have this recognition.”
While she has only been in Madison for 2-3 years, Andrea Muñiz Ortega is already making her mark on the city of Madison and beyond. She has dedicated her life to supporting and teaching others and bringing beauty to the world. That is a lot to celebrate.