Together with six other slaves of African descent, in 1778 she went to Quito to present her case to the president of the Royal Audience who promised to help them.
[1][2][3] Born around 1750 in the valley of the River Chota in northern Ecuador, she became a slave in the ranch known as La Concepción.
[4] In 1778, at the end of January, together with six other black slaves from La Concepción (Pedro Lucumi, Andrés Lucumi, Ambrosia Padilla, Antonio Chalá, Ignacia Quiteño and Irene Luardo), Carrillo went to Quito to present to José Diguja, president of the Royal Audience appointed by the Spanish, a number of complaints stemming from the mistreatment they suffered under the administrator Francesco Aurrecco Eche.
The following April, Andrés Fernández Salvador began to investigate the case, questioning the witnesses at La Concepción.
[3] A monument now stands in the central park of La Concepción honoring the bravery of Martina Carrillo.