“Courage, even in the face of danger and fear, is the driving force to achieve positive change in my community.”
Fátima Corozo is a tireless, dedicated community leader and youth advocate in Esmeraldas, Ecuador’s most violent city. Born in Isla Luis Vargas Torres, one of the most violent enclaves within Esmeraldas, Ms. Corozo is a staunch defender and protector of the city’s youth. An Afro-Ecuadorian high school teacher, Ms. Corozo witnessed firsthand the rapidly evaporating opportunities for youth in Esmeraldas, as that city became a flashpoint for Ecuador’s rising violence. Over decades as an educator, a youth advocate, and the president of her community association, Ms. Corozo has continually raised her voice in defense of the youth of Esmeraldas, putting her life on the line as she designs and implements youth development programs that provide safe alternatives for young people in one of the world’s most violent cities. Ms. Corozo has also used her influence in Esmeraldas to establish strong networks of youth advocates and educators, which have directly provided hundreds of young Afro-Ecuadorians with safe spaces in which to develop their skills and interests, drawing them away from unprecedented violence and putting them on the path to becoming healthy and productive citizens.