LATIN AMERICA
Rise Up builds power with women, girls, and allies around the world, providing the training, funding, and networks they need to strengthen a global movement for justice and equity. The local leaders we work with are creating a world where all people have equitable access to education, health care, economic opportunity, and are able to fulfill their potential.
Shifting Power in Central America
Since Rise Up began in 2009, we have invested in girl-led and girl-centered advocacy in Guatemala and Honduras, strengthening the movement for gender equity across Central America. Building on 15 years of impact, our powerful network of more than 200 leaders in Central America will set the course for the next exciting phase of our work in the region. Shifting power and decision-making to leaders and advocates based in Guatemala and Honduras will continue to create lasting and large-scale change for women and girls.
At the forefront of this shift are two exceptional leaders: Juany Garcia and Emerita Valdez. Juany and Emerita are Rise Up alumni who led Rise Up’s work in Central America for over a decade. You can learn more about our plans in Central America here.

Juany Garcia
Country-Based Leader, Guatemala
Juany Cresencia García Pérez is originally from Quetzaltenango and currently lives in Cantel, located in western Guatemala. She is a passionate human rights advocate and works to promote the participation of girls, young people, and women in decision-making spaces. She is currently the national coordinator of Lideramos Guatemala and serves as a lead psychologist at the Integral Psychosocial Care Center.
Juany holds a degree in social psychology and a master's degree in the psychological approach to sexual abuse and trauma. She graduated from Rafael Landívar, Da Vinci, and San Carlos Universities in Guatemala. With over 20 years of experience in project coordination, program management, research, and the design of tools focused on the protection and promotion of human rights for girls and young women, she has worked with organizations such as ICA Amigos, IDEI Association, Comunicares, World Vision, UNICEF, MIDES, Rise Up, and Lideramos. Her work has contributed on national, regional, and global levels. In 2014, she was awarded the Certificate of Excellence in Leadership by Let Girls Lead and has won awards for initiatives promoting girls' and adolescents' rights.

Emérita Valdez
Country-Based Leader, Honduras
Emérita is a dedicated advocate for the rights of girls, adolescents, and women. She has worked for over 20 years in designing methodologies, manuals, standards, and programs that have a significant impact on the lives of girls, adolescents, and women. In her current role as the Executive Director of the organization Lideramos Honduras, she will continue working to improve the lives of girls, adolescents, and women in Honduras. She believes that investing in girls, adolescents, and women is the path to development. Her passion and commitment to her work is truly admirable.
Emérita holds a degree in management and social development, along with a postgraduate degree in domestic violence prevention and human trafficking, in addition to various diplomas and training. She has stood out as an excellent speaker on social issues and in the defense of human rights for girls, adolescents, and women.
Meet Rise Up Leaders in Latin America:
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Ana Karina Lara Rosales
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Janeth Griselda González López
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Jorge Antonio Contreras Domínguez
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Andrea Fonte
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Dayán Mariana Díaz Vázquez
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Gabriela Alejandra Rodríguez Cárdenas
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Carolina Olvera Castillo
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Luisa Rojas
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Frida Viramontes
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Araceli Rodríguez Salazar
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María Teresa Galicia
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Marcela Yanine Zamudio Escobedo
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Nydia Morales
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Blanca Laura Martínez Belmares
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Yesica Yolanda Rangel Flores
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Beatriz Martínez Monjarás
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Antonieta Berenice Castillo Cortes
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Mariana Hernández Noriega
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Roxana C. Dimas
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Sofía Rodríguez
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Gabriela Silva Olivares
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Martha Graciela Ramos Carrasco
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Yolanda Escamilla García
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Perla Sánchez Leija
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Mónica Reynoso Morales
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Mayra de Oliveira Ribeiro
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Tatiane Zito
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Leticia Bahia
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Renata Guadagnin
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Fernanda Martins
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Ana Carolina Martins
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Tamires Santana de Oliveira
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Marília Moreira da Silva
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Rebeca Mendes Silva Leite
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Maria Amorim
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Isabela Santos Gonçalves Costa
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Camila Guimarães
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Luciana Souza
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Luana Dratovsky
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Patrícia Ramos Silva dos Santos
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Gilmara Cunha
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Alejandra Balduvín Álvarez
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Beatriz Sarahí Aguilera Gallegos
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Claudia Elizabeth Cuéllar Ochoa
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Daniela Eugenia Olvera Rosillo
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Irma Guadalupe Martínez Hermoso
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Laura Angélica Mendoza González
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Lía Natalli Morales Méndez
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María de Lourdes Moreno Estrada
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María José Puente Zavala
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Mariana Juárez Moreno
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Minerva de los Ángeles Gallegos Dávalos
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Urenda Queletzú Navarro Sánchez
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Ivonne Irabel Mendoza Salazar
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Viridiana Chávez Ibarra
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Jocelyn Haidee Hernández González
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Patricia Guadalupe Reséndez Zamudio
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Silvia Alejandra Holguin Cinco
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Adriana Marvelly
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Alejandra García Muñiz
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Alejandra Juárez Rodríguez
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Andrés Costilla Castro
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Blanca Estela Gardea
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Esmeralda Ramos Rodríguez
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Eva María Camacho
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Guadalupe Arellano
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Isabel Blas Guillén
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Ma. De Lourdes Alemán
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Ma. Del Pilar Guevara Gasca
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Marcela García Vázquez
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Melba Díaz de León Castillo
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Ricardo Preciado Jiménez
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Rodrigo Arizmendi Saucedo
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Yair Govea Valladares
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Yamel Campos
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Marvin José Moreira
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Nancy Junnieth Mora Mendoza
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Ludwika Vega Espinoza
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Martha Jesenia Amador Castro
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Halima de Los Ángeles Hernández López
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Sandra Patricia Galán Gutiérrez
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Noel de Jesús Gonzáles Mendoza
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Marta Alicia Hernández
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Marvin Evelyn Flores Amaya
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Dinora Elena Torres Amaya
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Viena Ávila
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Tesla Quevedo
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Luis Alberto Velásquez Reyes
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Erika Isabel Amaya Diaz
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Carolina Francisca Reyes Velasquez
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Anabel Hernandez Muñoz
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Virginia Cum Chevén
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Leiddy Amabilia de León Benavente
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Yenifer Valey Gómez
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Gabriel Reyes Silva
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Elsa Oralia Ochoa
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Anelis Rosalba Vásquez Castillo
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Ana Cecilia Fajaro
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Angelina Gonzalez
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Arnaldo Tacam Batz
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Berta Cumez Garcia
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Claudia Isabel Ruiz Loarca
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Ernesto Guadalupe Pos Sacalxot
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Leivy Suyuc
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Maria Luisa Mendez
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Rene Caraballo Marroquin
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Sara Castellanos Montufar
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Saúl Interiano Ramirez
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Tracie M. Saravia
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Tomasa Fabiola Perez Hernandez
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Danessa Luna
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Diego Mejía Calel
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Dora Alonzo
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Edith Janeth Revolorio
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Eunice Ramirez
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Eva Patricia Chuc Choxom
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Gladys Fabiola Leiva
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José Coti
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Gilberto Escobar Reyes
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Manuela García Pu
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Marvin Raúl Vázquez
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Roberto Morales Coroxon
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Rebeca Ester Perez Rodas
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Carmen Lissette Vanegas Chacón
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Daniel Alberto Cifuentes
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Guillermo Enrique Leverman Hernández
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Hugo Higueros
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Luisa Verónica Dávila
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Maria Verónica Buch
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Maira Sandoval
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Maria Dolores Yax Sisimit
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Maria Lucia Escobar
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Miguel Angel López
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Ninfa Alarcón
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Silvia Molina Zaldaña
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Manuel Salvador Salas Flores
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Lidieth del Carmen Alvarez Guzman
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Thelma Fabiola Oro Chinchilla
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Sonia Maribel Guity Chavez
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Reyna Suyapa Sagatume Madrid
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Nancy Victoria Figueroa Mejia
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Mirian Yolanda Chimilio Blanco
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Melvia Maria Antunez Aguilar
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Maria del Carmen Garcia Ramos
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Luis Javier Tejada Mendoza
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Iliana Yelina Perez Martinez
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Gicel Rosibel Orellana Vaquedano
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Gina Patricia Sanchez Montoya
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Emily Jackeline Webster Cordova
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Edgar Ignacio Dominguez Roque
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Dilcia Yamileth Calderon Romero
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Desy Dayana Castro Mendoza
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Claudia Maria Izaguirre Mejia
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Arianna Michelle Diaz Gomez
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Any del Carmen Ferrera Landaverde
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Angela Ernestina Ayala Soto
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Susana Elizabeth Barrera Ponce
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Emilio Enrique Pacheco Castrillo
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Adriana Belinda Rodriguez Velasquez
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Estrella Marisol Hernandez, Jutiapa, Honduras