Mary E. Domingues Campos

"Mary has been a remarkable volunteer... Her undying interest in ensuring that all of the youth from the Hispanic community understand their culture and rootsis evident in all of her volunteer activities and in all aspects of her life."
—YWCA of Greater Des Moines, 1994

Mary E. Domingues Campos, born in McAlester, Oklahoma in 1929, is an advocate for women and children in Iowa and has helped to establish better relationships between people of diverse ethnic backgrounds. Campos serves on numerous boards and councils as a champion for human rights, including the Community Housing Education Resources, Bidwell Riverside Community Center, Des Moines Human Rights Commission, Hispanic Education Resource Center, Council for International Understanding, Mid-City Vision Committee, Our Lady of Guadulupe Chapel, Hispanic Ministry, Senior Citizens Advisory Council, Adult and Youth Ministries Diocese of Des Moines Advisory Council, and The Des Moines Register Advisory Council. She served as president of the United Mexican-American Community Center. Campos has also been active politically, serving as the Hispanic representative to the Iowa Democratic Party in 1983 and as the cochair of the Polk County Democratic County Convention in 1992. With the Hispanic population increasing in Iowa, Campos spends countless hours helping non-English speaking families who are relocating in Des Moines and Perry become more informed about social and health issues. As Randolph J. Davis says, “She has represented her Latino ethnic group with dignity and courage.” Campos was inducted into the Iowa Women's Hall of Fame in 1995.