FELIPE DE LA CRUZ SANDOVAL
Felipe de la Cruz Sandoval is a member of the faculty of the Rural Teachers College of Ayotzinapa, Guerrero. His son, a student at the college, survived the police attack that resulted in the death of 6 people, the wounding of 25, and the forced disappearance of 43 more students on September 26th. Since the September attacks he has been working with the students and families as they search for their loved ones and has been a spokesperson for the movement protesting the corruption and impunity that have permeated Mexico’s ruling institutions. Through his experience teaching in the Ayotzinapa Academy he has reaffirmed his struggle for justice based on the frustration of seeing so much inequality in such a rich country with much of the population in extreme poverty. He has participated in various social movements such as the creation of the Coordinadora of the Education Workers of the State of Guerrero (CETEG), which is a branch of the national coordination of education workers (CNTE).
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MARIO GONZÁLEZ CONTRERAS
Mario was born in Huamantla Tlaxcala, Mexico. Before the disappearance of his son César Manuel González Hernández, he was dedicated to his family and his work buying and selling cars. After the attack against the normalista students in Iguala on the 26th and 27th of September 2014, Mr. González has dedicated his life to finding out the truth about his son’s whereabouts. His new mission in life has forced him to abandon his work and home. Mario has pledged not to return to his house without his son and knowing that justice has been achieved. He asks for support for their movement and not to be left alone in their struggle. Mr. González testified before the Inter-American Commission on human rights this summer in Washington, DC.
