Received Mexico's National Youth Award from President Felipe Calderón in 2008 for advancing indigenous women's political rights.
In 2008, Eufrosina Cruz was honored with Mexico's National Youth Award (Premio Nacional de la Juventud), presented by President Felipe Calderón, in recognition of her contribution to the political culture of Mexico and her tireless advocacy for the political rights of indigenous women.
The award represented formal national recognition of the significance of her personal case — being denied the right to vote and hold office in her home municipality — and of the broader movement she had ignited around indigenous women's political exclusion under customary law systems. Receiving this honor while still in her twenties, Cruz used the platform to amplify her message, calling attention to the systemic barriers faced by indigenous women across Mexico's diverse regions governed by usos y costumbres.
This recognition helped elevate her public profile substantially, paving the way for her subsequent entry into elected office. It marked a pivotal transition point in her career, transforming her from a local activist fighting a personal injustice into a nationally recognized voice for indigenous women's rights, setting the stage for her election to the Oaxaca State Congress just two years later.