"When people ask why I'm always finding trouble, I say no, trouble finds me. I just can't turn away," Palmer said. "It's very important for me to give voice to the experiences of immigrants who are afraid to speak."
Born in Peru to parents who saw education as a way to survive, Palmer learned the importance of family, holding onto your identity, and standing up for what you believe in, even if it means standing alone.
"If there is something going on and I think somebody should fix it ... I can always hear my father saying, 'And what are you doing about it?'"
Palmer moved to the United States at 17 and almost immediately met her husband, Michael. The couple has been married for 45 years and raised three children, all fluent in Spanish. Preserving the cultural identity of Hispanic children is central to her work.
She co-founded Mi Escuelita, a Spanish immersion daycare, and helped launch the dual language immersion program at Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools, that teach Spanish and Mandarin. Former students, like current East Carolina University medical student Margot, are just a few of the program's many success stories.
"That kind of thing becomes possible when you have a community that embraces immigrants and helps them thrive," Palmer said.
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Palmer has also shattered glass ceilings across North Carolina. She was the first Latina appointed to the State Board of Education and the first Latina elected to the Chapel Hill Town Council.
Witnessing the fear in immigrant communities firsthand, especially as enforcement operations ramp up nationwide, Palmer has partnered with local organizations to host legal clinics and "Know Your Rights" workshops.
"This situation feels so scary that many immigrants are staying home, not going to work, not sending kids to school," she said.
Palmer says she's just getting started.
"Happy Women's History Month," she exclaimed. " Women make the world go around."