2005 Advocate Alejandra Ancheita has been awarded an honorary PhD from the University of Paris Nanterre. In her acceptance speech, she said, “In a context like Mexico where violence has become part of the landscape, sometimes the most difficult thing is to defend joy and protect hope. However, we cannot settle, now or never, with this imposition. Fear cannot become the basic premise of our lives.” Alejandra is the founder and Executive Director of the Mexico City-based ProDESC (The Project of Economic, Cultural, and Social Rights). A lawyer and activist, she leads the fight for the rights of the migrants, workers, and indigenous communities of her native country to dramatically raise their standard of living.
