01/21/2026
I am incredibly honored to share that I have been awarded the Luis del Castillo Prize 2025 in International Criminal Justice and Human Rights, ex aequo, by the Barcelona Bar Association (ICAB) for my research project: “Artificial Intelligence as a Borderless Legal Weapon: The Real Impossibility of Regulating AI in the Investigation and Prosecution of International Crimes.”
Three years ago, I was graduating from my Master of Laws and being sworn into the Barcelona Bar. Since then, my journey has taken me far beyond anything I could have imagined. And it all began with a single sentence: “The comfort zone is where all dreams go to die.” by Edgar Allan Poe.
That one sentence changed the course of my life forever. It impacted me so deeply that made me reflect on what I truly wanted to do and, most importantly, on the example I wanted to set for my children. So I took the leap. I stepped out of my comfort zone, leaving behind an amazing job and stability, and embarked on a path that would change me forever in ways I could never have anticipated.
It has not been easy. During this process, I discovered I was expecting my third child—but I refused to let that stop me. I found the courage to move forward no matter what, saying yes to every opportunity that came my way. I still remember commuting five hours a day from Madrid to Barcelona while eight to nine months pregnant, caring for my two other children, just to complete my final semester. I sat my final exams just one week after giving birth. And when everything was finally done—when I thought I would never take another exam in my life—my family and I packed everything into two suitcases and moved to the other side of the world. I started over completely: facing greater challenges, a new judicial system, new customs and language, and immigration hurdles. It was incredibly exhausting, but one thing was always clear to me: giving up was not an option. So I kept moving forward and I would do everything all over again without doubt.
This award is a reminder that you cannot win what you do not start. Push your limits. Do not be afraid to try. Do it afraid—but do it anyway.
