himself an asylum seeker, provides life-
saving care amid the continued eff ects
of the Trump Administration’s inhu-
mane immigration policy. He and his
girlfriend trekked across Latin America
to escape political persecution after
he courageously criticized the Maduro
regime while working in Venezuela.
Forced to remain in Mexico as an Amer-
ican judge decides his fate, Elisondo
Rojas saw a sign that said MÉDICO and
asked, “How can I help?” He now helps
mothers hear their baby’s heartbeat for
the fi rst time and treats up to 50 pa-
tients every day, mostly children.
Elisondo Rojas aspires to practice
medicine in the U.S. and to contribute
his skills to our nation like generations
of immigrants before him—but he can
only help if we let him.Castro is a Democratic Congressman
from TexasJangHye-yeong33 • PUSHING FOR
EQUALITYWhen Jang Hye-yeong realized that
the facility caring for her autistic
sister was abusive, she decided
to care for her personally, taking
jobs as an animator to make ends
meet. In 2018, she released an
award- winning documentary about
their shared life, which boosted
her profi le as a fi lmmaker and a
disability- rights advocate. Last
year, she was elected one of South
Korea’s youngest- ever lawmakers
at the age of 33.
Jang has already made her
mark within the progressive
Justice Party, pushing through
legislation that safeguards
welfare services for retirees with
disabilities. Her most ambitious
initiatives are ongoing efforts
to pass a law to prohibit dis-
crimination on the basis of sexual
orientation or gender identity,
which is receiving pushback from
infl uential religious conservatives
and business groups. In January,
she accused her party’s chairman
of sexually assaulting her, leading
to his resignation. She said she
came forward in the hopes that it
would encourage other women to
do the same: in South Korea, an
average of 3.4 sexual harassment
crimes are reported every hour.
“We all want to live the life of a
decent human being with inherent
dignity,” she told fellow lawmakers
in September.
ÑCharlie CampbellJANG: ILLUSTRATION BY ALEXIS FRANKLIN FOR TIMEPHOTOGRAPH BY ILANA PANICH-LINSMAN