Her documentaries and narrative films explore the underpinnings and disparities of social class in America. Reviews of her films have appeared in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The LA Weekly, The Village Voice and numerous other periodicals. Martin received her BA in classics and creative writing from University of Arizona, and an MFA in film/video from California Institute of the Arts. She is now an associate professor in the Communication Department at Cal State University, San Marcos.