Rocha, Maria

Maria Rocha has a long history of civic involvement focusing on the rights of the working class, older Americans and the Latino community in Austin, Texas. She graduated from St. Edwards University with a BLS in gerontology. She worked as the Supervisor of Senior Community Services for the Austin Parks and Recreation Department and was selected by the National Council for Senior Citizens as one of the top eight project directors in the nation in 1983 for the Senior AIDES project. She also worked for the Austin Electric Utility Department (now Austin Energy) as a Consumer Services Supervisor. In addition she has served as president of the Austin chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees AFL-CIO during a time that the organization needed a passionate organizer to make the union a strong political entity. She recognized the power of public access television for educating, for organizing and for energizing people and was a longtime member of the Austin Community Television's board of directors.

From the guide to the Maria Rocha Papers AR. 2003. 025., 1981-1992, (Austin History Center, Austin Public Library, )