Maria Reinat-Pumarejo has played a key role in ending the United States' use of the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico as a military base. Her world view of peace and justice has energized and empowered working-class women to uproot racism and sexism. In 1992, her struggle against racism prompted her to co-found the Institute for Latino Empowerment (ILE). In 1995, in collaboration with the People's Institute for Survival and Beyond, ILE extended its organizing efforts to include whites and other people of color in its mission, resulting in the Undoing Racism Organizing Collective in the Northeast.

Born into a working-class family, Maria was adopted into a family of similar background when her parents separated. She began working at age 14. Maria obtained a B.A. in social sciences with a concentration in history from the University of Puerto Rico and worked as a computer consultant. Poverty and the political situation prompted her to immigrate to the United States. A young, single mother, she was determined to both support her family and to get an education. She worked three jobs, and obtained an M.A. in education and counseling psychology from the University of Massachusetts.

She began her work in social and political transformation in 1988 at Casa Latina, a non-profit project in Northampton, Massachusetts, one of only three Latino organizations led by a woman in the area at that time. She co-founded ILE in 1992 and in 1997 returned to Puerto Rico.

There, she fought – and was twice arrested – to end the demilitarization of the island of Vieques by the United States, which has used the area for the past 60 years for bombing exercises. The occupation has resulted in at least one death and caused cancer and massive environmental degradation. She worked closely with several local women's organizations in the struggle. In 2004, in collaboration with el Proyecto Caribeno de Justiacia y Paz, she supported the Viequenses youth and elders in a program called Encaminando las Voces Communitarias. The campaign resulted in the announcement by President Bush that the US Navy would leave Vieques, an important step in the establishment of self-determination for all of Puerto Rico and a victory for others worldwide who are campaigning to rid their lands of US military bases and installations.

Her anti-military activism also led to her participation in the East Asia-US-Puerto Rico Women's Network against Militarism.

Currently, she is coordinating a campaign in the United States and Puerto Rico to counter the negative effects of Census 2000, which statistically integrated Latinos/as as Whites. She has worked toward anti-racism efforts in Northern Ireland, South Africa, Okinawa, and South Korea. She has supported the work of organizations of women of color, such as Alianza de Mujeres Viequenses and the Centro Mujer y Nueva Familia in Barranquitas, both in Puerto Rico. She serves as an advisor for the Caribbean Project for Justice and Peace, an organization dedicated to antimilitarism.

At age 47, Maria Reinat-Pumarejo has no guaranteed income and no retirement benefits. She does not own her own home, and although she works long hours with no vacation, much of her work is volunteered. She has a record in the U.S. criminal system for trespassing in a firing zone.

Born into a working-class family, Maria was adopted into a family of similar background when her parents separated. She began working at age 14. Maria obtained a bachelor of arts in social sciences with a concentration in history from the University of Puerto Rico and worked as a computer consultant. Poverty and the political situation prompted her to immigrate to the USA. A young, single mother, she was determined both to support her family and to get an education. She worked three jobs, and obtained a master of arts in education and counseling psychology from the University of Massachusetts.
Maria began her work in social and political transformation in 1988 at Casa Latina, a nonprofit project in Northampton, Massachusetts, one of only three Latino organizations led by a woman in the area at that time. She cofounded ILE in 1992, and in 1997 returned to Puerto Rico. There, she focused her energy–often employing civil disobedience–to bring about the demilitarization of the island of Vieques by the USA, which had used the area for the past 60 years for bombing exercises. The occupation has resulted in at least one death and caused cancer and massive environmental degradation. The campaign resulted in an announcement by president Bush that the US navy would leave Vieques, an important step in the establishment of self-determination for all of Puerto Rico and a victory for others worldwide who are campaigning to rid their lands of US military bases and installations.

When Maria began her work in the USA, there were few organizations engaged in transforming the poverty and neglect of Puerto Ricans. Latin activists were often harassed, arrested, or even killed by police officers.

Institute for Latino Empowerment (ILE)
People's Institute for Survival and Beyond
East Asia-US-Puerto Rico Women's Network against Militarism