Dr. Carmen Perez is a retired internal medicine physician. A graduate of Edgewood High school she attended the University of the incarnate Word, majoring in Biology and minoring in Chemistry. This led her to begin her professional career as a science teacher in the San Antonio and South San Antonio Independent school districts. Dr. Perez was always involved in science fairs and connecting her students with research facilities around the city. Inspired by her students, at the age of 38 she entered medical school at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. She practiced medicine for 22 years and returned to practice in San Antonio in 2006.

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Though her work at a clinic in south San Antonio, she served many Hispanic patients with diabetes and hypertension. This led to newfound interest in her own Mexican American roots. She sought to improve her Spanish language fluency and began collecting folk art from Latin America. After her retirement she connected with other San Antonians involved with expanding understanding of the Latino culture. Every year she travels with Los Quijotes, a physician group that provides a medical mission to remote villages in Oaxaca, México. Dr. Perez says, “I am excited to be a board member of SOMOS cultura y más and want to help promote and educate our community, especially our children, about our cultural heritage.”