Chen Guangcheng

Chen Guangcheng, known to many of his countrymen as “the barefoot lawyer,” was born in the village of Dongshigu in 1972. Blind since infancy, illiterate until his late teens, he nonetheless taught himself law and became a fiery advocate for tens of thousands of Chinese who had no voice. His escape from his jailers in China made headlines around the world, and he remains uncompromising in his commitment to democracy and human rights. He now lives with his wife and two young children in New York City.