Ana Victoria Espino from Zacatecas is World’s First Lawyer with Down Syndrome

Disabled women face barriers with personally and professionally but that hasn’t stopped them from succeeding. There are so many disabled Latinas that are achieving incredible milestones in their field like Jillian Mercado, who is one of the most prominent models with a physical disability in the fashion industry, and Danielle Perez, a disabled comedian and actress. Earlier this year, 25-year-old Mexican woman Ana Victoria Espino De Santiago became the first lawyer in Zacatecas, and reportedly in all of Latin America, with Down syndrome. Born in Guadalupe, Zacatecas, she received her law degree in July from Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas and hopes to pursue a career as a legislator and disabled rights advocate, La Jornada de Zacatecas reported.

“I really like law for defending people with disabilities and people’s rights and defending my personal rights,” she told NTR TV based in Zacatecas. “[To] help people with disabilities, help those who do not have a voice, because that is why I am a lawyer.”

Espino grew up with a strong family network including her parents and three siblings, which has been the foundation of her educational and professional careers. In the classroom, she also received helpful accommodations to enter high school like being able to study independently for the entrance exam. After graduating, she took the entrance exam to enter law school at Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas, as it had been her dream to become a lawyer for years. After passing, she met with the headmaster at the time, who told her that the school couldn’t accept her because they weren’t prepared to address the accommodations she would need in order to succeed. That was one when professor stepped up and offered to help Espino throughout her five years of college: she accompanied her to all of her classes, helped her study, and prepared her for exams.

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“Teachers play a crucial role in creating a more inclusive educational environment. It recommends that educators be supportive, listen to their students and offer additional support when needed,” Espino told the newspaper.

She still faced other barriers and challenges, like discrimination and prejudice from her teachers and classmates. Few of them believed that she would be able to graduate, let alone pass her classes, because of her Down syndrome. But it was her professor that stepped up to advocate on her behalf and ultimately helped her succeed and break down systemic barriers in education.

Following graduation from law school, Espino hopes to get involved in politics, especially in parliament, where she can work as a legislator to help disabled people, fight for disability rights, and end the discrimination that she faced all throughout her life.

“I see myself being a local representative, I am passionate about the law and I want to pave the way so that all people who live with a disability can occupy decision-making spaces, because our condition does not silence our voice, will and ability to contribute to improving our state,” she told the publication Zacatecas En Imagen.