It’s a question that’s been asked since time immemorial. Musk, for his part, was speaking of humanity’s destiny among the stars. But purpose takes many forms, often beginning here on Earth, sometimes grounded in personal tragedy and usually motivated by a drive to make the world a better place.
For Braulio Vargas, a native of San Jose, Costa Rica, purpose is forged in heartbreak and determination.
Braulio’s childhood was shattered when his brother was gunned down at the gas station his family owned. The loss was devastating, leaving a void that could easily have consumed Braulio. Instead, it became the spark that ignited his life’s mission. Determined to honor his brother’s memory, Braulio worked tirelessly to put himself through school, eventually becoming a lawyer.
“When people know their rights, they stop accepting injustice as inevitable.”
At first, he focused on fighting for the rights of his clients, but the deeper he delved into his legal work, the more he realized the extent of the human rights abuses affecting his country.
“You can’t ignore it,” Braulio says. “It’s in the air, in the streets, in the silence of people who don’t know they deserve better.”
In 2014, Braulio partnered with Youth for Human Rights, an international nonprofit sponsored by the Church of Scientology and dedicated to human rights education. Over the past decade, he has led a nationwide movement to teach Costa Ricans about the 30 fundamental rights outlined in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. From remote farms to bustling cities, his efforts have touched the lives of more than 3 million, or half the country’s population. Working directly with students and youth, Braulio organizes workshops and distributes free booklets that make human rights education accessible to all. These materials not only teach the 30 rights but also inspire young people to become advocates for change in their communities, multiplying the reach of his efforts.
Reflecting on his work, Braulio explains, “The first three articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are especially relevant in today’s society, due to the lack of recognition of one’s own human dignity and the dignity of others.” These first articles emphasize that:
- All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
- Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in the UDHR.
- Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
Braulio’s purpose is to create a society where every individual understands and claims their inherent dignity and freedom. His work resonates deeply in a world where human rights violations are often met with apathy or ignorance. “When people know their rights, they stop accepting injustice as inevitable,” he tells Freedom. “My educational work is directed toward focusing the person on their own human dignity—and on making them understand that a better, more prosperous, more peaceful and tolerant world depends on their actions toward themselves and others.”
Braulio’s journey underscores a vital truth: Purpose doesn’t have to be cosmic in scale to be transformative. Whether it’s advancing human rights in Costa Rica or working toward becoming a multiplanetary species, purpose is about recognizing a gap—between what is and what could be—and dedicating oneself to bridging it.
Braulio may have lost his childhood, but thanks to his efforts, millions have found theirs. And in that sense, he is expanding humanity’s horizons—not to the stars, but to a brighter, more just future here on Earth.
