Kely Martell

​Kely Martell was born in Lima, Peru, and lived there till the age of 12 years old. She relocated to San Jose, California, and earned her Associate in Social Sciences and Humanities along with an Associate in Liberal Arts/Sciences from De Anza College. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from San Jose University and her ABA Paralegal Certificate from the University of San Diego Law School. She relocated in 2020 to San Diego, California to continue her work as an immigration paralegal helping people get family and employment-based visas. Kely is also very passionate about volunteer work; she partakes in mentoring undocumented students through Undocumented Professionals. Assisting with calls for the Detention Center Hotline in San Diego has become part of her community involvement as well as translating for the Immigrant Justice Project for people in holding at detention centers.

​In 2021, Kely was looking for a dance group to join. Her dance experience was primarily with  Hip-Hop dance teams. This is when she
learned about House of Peru’s dance classes and decided to join. Ever since, she has been part of the Elenco Performance Group showcasing traditional Peruvian dances. Peru has a diverse range of dances depending on the region. Kely has been overjoyed by having the opportunity to continue to learn about our diverse culture. She has also learned how to play Cajon.
As Director of Cultural Programs, Kely will embark on a new role with the House of Peru. Her goal is to put in the fourth front Peruvian culture in San Diego to create collaborating opportunities and to bring on more community engagement.