Tijuana was built by migrants and has been a city that values hospitality and multiculturalism, which explains its strong binational identity. It is a land of origin, transit, and reception.

Alma Migrante was created in June 2017 after its founder, attorney Graciela Zamudio Campos, ended her term as Coordinator of the Regional Office of the National Human Rights Commission, based in Tijuana. During her time as a public official, she met Xally Guadalupe Uribe Núñez, while they were both volunteers at one of the oldest migrant shelters in the city. Their work and efforts gave rise to Alma Migrante.

Also, during her time at the Human Rights Commission, Graciela met the local community of migrant rights defenders, their work, and the disparities between their actions and the abuse of power by national authorities in the absence of strategies to access justice to protect the rights of their clients.

Human rights defenders in Tijuana and Mexicali face different challenges, such as the lack of recognition of both the knowledge and experience they have attained through their work. The majority work to promote and defend migrants’ human rights without any financial compensation.

Non-profit work is often perceived as unpaid work, which is a major obstacle to advancing their work and that of their organizations.

Furthermore, the limited availability of legal services increases the vulnerability of their activities.

Alma Migrante decided to overcome these obstacles by providing legal assistance to defenders to fight for migrant rights and achieve access to justice.