21 inspiring Hispanic ‘Sheroes’ celebrate Hispanic heritage in 21 countries

Carlotto is a well-known human rights activist and the president of the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo. After her daughter Laura was taken and murdered by the Argentine military dictatorship, Carlotto founded her own organization, which has since reunited countless families of disappeared people.

Barrow is a passionate advocate for women’s and children’s rights. As Special Envoy for Women and Children in Belize, she has successfully implemented legislative reforms aimed at advancing gender equality and combating gender-based violence.

Known for her resilience, Pozo is a member of the branch assembly and the president of the branch legislative assembly, an impressive feat in a country where women’s political participation can be a challenge. She promotes the law against violence against women in her branch to combat gender violence and empower women.

Bachelet was the first female president of Chile and the first female Minister of Defense and Health for Chile and Latin America. During her presidency, she implemented educational reforms, created the Ministry of Women and Gender Equality, opened the Museum of Memory and Human Rights, increased women’s political participation with quotas, and secured equality for same-sex couples.

Márquez is multi-faceted: a human rights activist, the first Afro-Colombian female vice president of Colombia, a lawyer and an environmental activist. She focuses on raising awareness of racial inequality, violence and environmental justice.

Chinchilla is a political scientist and the only female president in Costa Rican history. International organizations have recognized her for her innovative Network of Care programs, through which she has created more than 800 shelters for families.

Cabello, a human rights and religious freedom activist in Cuba, was the only woman imprisoned during the Black Spring of 2003. Despite enduring intimidation and surveillance, she continues to support political prisoners by documenting human rights abuses. Her dedication to justice has earned her the 2024 International Women of Courage Award.

Pierre became a human rights activist at the age of 14, working to end discrimination against Haitians in the Dominican Republic. As director of the Movement for Dominican Women of Haitian Descent, her dedication and work earned her the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award.

Sisters Helena and Nina Gualinga are indigenous Amazonian activists from the Kichwa community. Nina advocates for women’s rights and climate justice globally as a spokesperson for Mujeres Amazonicas through her role as Women Defenders Program Coordinator at Amazon Watch. Helena co-founded Polluters Out and served as Young Women Project Lead with WECAN. Their efforts to raise awareness and protect the Amazon have received international recognition, with Helena appearing in the premiere documentary Helena from Sarayaku at the DC Environmental Film Festival.

María Teresa Tula joined the Committee of Mothers and Relatives of the Prisoners, Disappeared and Politically Killed (CoMadres) after her husband was taken by the police. Her activism, which included documenting the bodies of the disappeared, led her to flee to the United States under political asylum. There she continued her work with CoCoDa and wrote Listen to my testimony.

The author of the autobiography My name is Rigoberta Menchú and recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize, Menchú focused on indigenous rights, particularly during the Guatemalan Civil War. As a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, she ran for president of Guatemala and founded the first indigenous political party, Winaq.

Miranda is a leader of the Black Fraternal Organization of Honduras and an activist for the Garifuna people. During 30 years of activism and multiple awards, she has fought against land theft and drug trafficking, promoted sustainable practices and rights for young women, and endured illegal arrests and threats to her safety.

Morena is president of Mexico United Against Delinquency and founder of Citizens for a Common Cause. She organized the historic White March of 2004, advocated for care for kidnapping victims, connected social issues with public policy, and has spoken on both national and international stages.

The first female president of Central America and a newspaper publisher who took power The press. An outspoken political critic, during her presidency she reversed repressive policies, abolished censorship and attempted to reconcile the various political movements in Nicaragua.

Climent founded Endangered Rainforest Rescue, a women- and indigenous-led organization focused on biodiversity restoration and indigenous land protection in Panama. Its efforts, including replanting endangered tree species, have been recognized globally for their contributions to climate mitigation and sustainability.

Cynthia Bendlin has received the International Women of Courage Award for her dedication and activism in the fight against child and women trafficking. Despite death threats from the mafia, she works through the International Organization of Migration, where she tackles problems in the tri-border area between Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay.

Since the age of 15, Yabar has built homes in slums, founded a non-governmental organization, led a national beach cleanup, and inspired a ban on single-use plastic bags in her country. As a Lead Next Generation Fellow at the UN Foundation, a CNN Eco-Hero, among many other roles, she is a prominent activist in global discussions on sustainability and health.

The first female governor of Puerto Rico and mayor of San Juan, she focused on improving underserved communities through a $1.4 billion budget. She remains on the board of her foundation, the Center for Puerto Rico: Sila M. Calderón Foundation, and as a trustee of the New York Public Library, where she promotes social justice and education.

Campoamor was a pioneer of women’s suffrage in Spain, securing the right to vote and introducing the first divorce laws as a member of the Constituent Assembly. Her advocacy for women’s rights paved the way for future generations.

Abracinskas is the founder of Mujer y Salud en Uruguay, among a wide range of other roles. Her activism focuses on sexual and reproductive rights, establishing the first women’s health center, and promoting safe and legal abortions.

The activist behind Venezuela’s opposition, Machado advocates for democracy while criticizing the abuses, repression, economic problems and humanitarian crises that result from the current Venezuelan regime. Despite political repression, she continues to organize and empower voters to improve their situation.