Juvencio Rocha-Peralta, Jr., originally from Veracruz, Mexico, has been a community leader and advocate in North Carolina for more than 35 years. After migrating as a teenager to work in agriculture, his lived experience shaped a lifelong commitment to advancing health equity, civic participation, education access, and well-being for Latino and other marginalized communities across Eastern North Carolina. In 2001, he founded the Association of Mexicans in North Carolina, Inc. (AMEXCAN), now recognized statewide and nationally for culturally responsive programs in health, leadership development, youth engagement, disaster recovery, and binational initiatives. He has built strong partnerships with health systems, universities, public agencies, and community organizations to reduce disparities and strengthen community resilience. Following Hurricane Floyd, Juvencio co-founded the North Carolina Latino Coalition and helped elevate Latino concerns to state leadership. He later became the first Mexican in North Carolina appointed as an Advisor to the Mexican Government through the Institute of Mexicans Abroad, strengthening lasting cross-border ties. His work has earned major recognition, including the Otli Award, the NC Justice Center Defender of Justice Award, and acknowledgment from the ACLU of North Carolina.
