Estela Ortega: A Lifetime of Advocacy and Community Building

On July 23, 1950, Estela Ortega was born in Harris, Texas, into a family of farmworkers. From the age of eight, she worked long days in the cotton fields, an upbringing that instilled resilience, empathy, and a deep commitment to justice. Guided by the example of her grandmother, whose hard work and love of community shaped her worldview, Ortega grew into a young woman determined to fight for equity.

In her early twenties in Houston, Ortega became politically active, marching for farmworkers’ rights, protesting the Vietnam War, campaigning locally, and registering voters in underrepresented neighborhoods. Her dedication to grassroots change soon led her north to Seattle, where her life’s work truly began.

Founding El Centro de la Raza

In October 1972, Ortega joined a group of activists, including her soon-to-be husband Roberto Maestas, in occupying the Beacon Hill Elementary School. Their bold action demanded the preservation of space for bilingual education and community services. Out of that occupation came the birth of El Centro de la Raza, “The Center for People of All Races.”

Just two months later, on December 10, 1972, Estela and Roberto were married in a Native American ceremony in the school’s gymnasium, a moment that symbolized their lifelong union of love and activism. The city ultimately agreed to lease the building for $1 a year, and El Centro became a permanent home for community organizing and support.

Building a Community Anchor

Over the decades, Ortega and Maestas transformed El Centro into a cultural and social anchor for Latino, immigrant, and multiracial communities across Seattle. Programs grew to include English classes, childcare, workforce training, youth tutoring, and senior services. The center also provided essential resources like a food bank, tenant advocacy, and emergency assistance, while celebrating culture through Día de los Muertos events, powwows, and Martin Luther King Jr. Day marches.

In 1997, after 25 years of advocacy, El Centro purchased the Beacon Hill School building for $1.4 million, securing a permanent home thanks to a mix of grants, grassroots donations, and community determination.

Leadership and Legacy

When Roberto Maestas stepped down in 2009 due to health challenges, Estela Ortega became Executive Director of El Centro de la Raza. She has since overseen transformative projects, including Plaza Roberto Maestas, a nationally recognized model of equitable development combining affordable housing, early learning, and community space.

Most recently, in 2023, Ortega helped break ground on Four Amigos – Beloved Community in Columbia City, an 87-unit affordable housing complex with bilingual childcare and family-focused services. Under her leadership, El Centro now operates 43 unique programs, serving more than 21,000 people each year with the help of 215 staff and 752 volunteers.

Her leadership has been recognized at the highest levels. In 2025, King County awarded her the Martin Luther King Jr. Medal of Distinguished Service, honoring her decades of commitment to equity, justice, and community empowerment.

Honoring a History Maker

This year, the Rainier Valley Historical Society is proud to recognize Estela Ortega as our 2025 History Maker at the 10th Annual Founder’s Dinner. For more than five decades, Ortega has championed affordable housing, education, and social justice, leaving an indelible impact on Rainier Valley and beyond.

Her story reminds us that community is built through resilience, love, and collective action and that one person’s vision can help transform a city.