Rigoberta Menchú is a Nobel Peace Laureate and a leading advocate for Indian rights and ethno-cultural reconciliation, particularly for the Quiché branch of the Maya culture in Guatemala. Born to a poor peasant family, her early life was marked by farm labor and exposure to military oppression, which quickly galvanized her into a lifelong human rights activist. Her work is a powerful testament to non-violent resistance and the struggle for the rights of indigenous peasant peoples.

Menchú's activism began with social reform through the Catholic Church, quickly establishing her as a prominent figure in the women’s rights movement while still a teenager. This work led to persecution; the military oppression resulted in the torture and death of her brother, father, and mother. In response, she became increasingly active in the Committee of the Peasant Union (CUC), organizing strikes and demonstrations for better farmworker conditions and educating the Indian peasant population in resistance to the massive military presence.

Forced into hiding and then exile in Mexico in 1981, Menchú began a new phase of her life as an organizer abroad. She co-founded the joint opposition body, The United Representation of the Guatemalan Opposition (RUOG). Her life story, as told in her gripping memoir, I, Rigoberta Menchú, attracted widespread international attention to the conflict. Despite death threats, she has repeatedly returned to Guatemala to plead the cause of the Indian peasants.

Over the decades, Rigoberta Menchú has become a global emblem of perseverance, teaching herself Spanish and multiple Mayan languages to better serve her community. She has received numerous international awards for her advocacy, which extends across the Western Hemisphere. Her work highlights the profound connection between social justice, cultural rights, and the unwavering determination required to achieve peace in the face of violent oppression.