Honoring a Voice for Families and Justice

Maria Cantu Hexsel grew up in the Rio Grande Valley, the daughter of two public school teachers. Like many predominantly Hispanic communities, parents in her hometown understood that education was the great equalizer. Maria excelled, never taking the gift for granted. In high school, she earned the right to represent the city of La Feria at Girls State, where she met one of her heroes, Ann Richards, the only female statewide elected official at the time.

The Honorable Maria Cantú Hexsel with her parents and siblings.

Through work study and scholarships, Maria earned her bachelors degree at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio. Raised to speak up for herself and never allowed to put limits on her dreams, she decided to become the first lawyer in her family and graduated from Texas Tech University School of Law.

Her legal career has been defined by real courtroom experience and defending our democratic institutions. She represented working families who had been wronged as a plaintiff’s attorney in Lubbock, she litigated for the state of Texas as an Assistant Attorney General, and previously in private practice, she led complex civil litigation with a concentration in healthcare. In 2020, the voters of Travis County elected Maria Cantu Hexsel as District Judge of the 53rd District Court.

Travis County voters not only recognized her knowledge of the law, but Maria’s commitment to community service. As a member of the Hispanic Bar Association, Maria spoke at school career days, prepared students for mock trials, helped with judging essays and grabbed any opportunity to remind young girls that they can be a lawyer, a judge or anything they want to be. Maria served as PTA President at Becker Elementary School and has been an active volunteer with JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) as an advocate for her own amazing T1D daughter.

The Honorable Maria Cantú Hexsel with her husband and children.

Service was another trait her parents modeled. As a young girl, Maria and her sisters would join her mom and tias on weekends to help care for her aging grandparents, as her dad earned extra income teaching English as a Second Language, giving other parents the tools and confidence they needed to advocate for their children.

Joining the Board of Directors for AVANCE-Austin was a natural fit, continuing a legacy of empowering parents to advocate for their children and leave them the most lasting gift, an education. During her seven years of service on the Board, Maria served as Vice Chair and Chair, helping guide the organization through the challenges of COVID-19 pandemic, while deepening ties with AISD and other strategic partners, and maintaining our focus on mission as the organization went through leadership changes and restructuring. Her efforts helped our organization respond swiftly to meet families’ urgent needs, advancing our mission and supporting our expansion across Central Texas.

In recognition of her enduring commitment to justice, family, and community, we are proud to present Judge Maria Cantú Hexsel with the 2025 Griffith Family Legacy Award—an honor reserved for those who lead with heart, lift others up, and leave a lasting legacy of impact.

Join us at Valor y Sueños to celebrate her incredible journey.

Together, we honor her story—and the countless dreams made possible through her leadership.