April 1: Senators Israel Zuñiga, aka Benkos Biohó and Judith Simanca Herrera, aka Victoria Sandino. Benkos and Victoria Sandino are former comandantes of the FARC-EP (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army) and negotiators of the 2016 Peace Accord. They served as senators for the legal FARC political party after the accords were implemented. They are both leaders in the Afrodescendent community and tireless advocates against racism, for labor rights, and for a peace that is characterized by justice. Join our “Happy Hour” visit with the senators as we learn more about their lives before and after the Peace Accord, and hear from them about the upcoming elections and the ongoing struggle for Colombia’s “Second Independence”.
And… if you would like to join the Election Observation Mission to Colombia, May 25- June 1, 2022, send an email to [email protected] for more info
Charla de Colombia / Talking About Colombia is a series of “Happy Hours” where our guests share some social time with us, tell us a few details about their personal histories, and discuss their dreams and hopes for a New Colombia.
UPCOMING ON CHARLA DE COLOMBIA / TALKING ABOUT COLOMBIA:
April 8: Rubiel Vargas and Maria Cardona, from CPDH (Permanent Committee for Human Rights). Rubiel is the President of CPDH, and Maria is its International Relations Coordinator. CPDH is one of the oldest and most respected human rights organizations in Colombia. They will be hosting our electoral mission. Maria is a regular participant in AFGJ’s Colombia working group, as well!
April 15: Darnelly Rodriguez is well known to AFGJ supporters for her front line human rights defense during 2021’s National Strike. As a leading human rights defenders, Darnelly has faced multiple threats and assaults but continues the work nonstop. Darnelly is the coordinator the Valle de Cauca chapter of REDDHFIC (Franciso Isaias Cifuentes Human Rights Network), a grassroots organization of human rights defenders in the Southwest of Colombia. She is also the coordinator for the Centro Pazífico (the Pacific Human Rights Center) which provides meeting, class, and office space for social movements in Cali, as well as lodging for human rights accompaniment.
April 22: TO BE ANNOUNCED
April 29: As we approach the first anniversary in April of Colombia’s National Strike of 2021, David Escobar, an independent journalist and videographer will join us. David was our most important source of information during the strike and helped distribute supplies to street medics. David has produced a number of important documentaries about the struggle in Colombia, including the recently released Colombia: Young Protestors dead and disappeared, and Paren de Matarnos. He also worked on the documentary Bajo Fuego (Under Siege), which AFGj has shown on different occasions.
