A new generation with international perspective is getting prepared
Now it is the turn of Afro-Colombian and Indigenous leaders to mobilize capacities and receive the baton to confront new challenges in the development of their communities.
A framework of international programs designed by Tennessee State University (TSU) in the United States, the University of Antioquia and the Centro Colombo Americano makes this possible.
Academic and cultural immersions in both countries were the most effective means to approximate Afro-American, Afro-Colombian and Indigenous leaders.
Social media interaction has helped facilitate the proverbial breaking of the ice and work on joint development projects, intending to pave the way for better face-to-face meetings in 2014, has been underway since September 2013.
The Colombian students involved hail from the Technological University of Chocó, the Nacional University and the University of Antioquia.
The common academic characteristic of these leaders is that they are all current holders of the Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship promoted by the Centro Colombo Americano and the US Embassy in Colombia.
As host of this ‘Battle of the Brains’, The University of Antioquia has enabled these leaders to develop their capacities through the certified “Competing conceptions on leadership, creativity and sustainability”.
These leaders have undertaken joint reflection discussing where the new leadership should turn to and how they can develop through using new, creative tools.
They should also hope to spawn development within neglected and marginalized communities whilst simultaneously trying to ensure that the natural resources these communities have, remain as close to untouched as possible. In this way, development in a sustainable manner could be achieved.
Francys López Mosquera, from the University of Antioquia’s ‘Civil Engineering Program’ has used the experience to undertake a study on leadership and sustainability in communities of the African diaspora together with a colleague from the United States.
When asked about the opportunity to study in pairs, López points out that “ the idea is to demonstrate that development is a totally relative concept. The capitalist model in which we operate makes us think that living comfortably depends on only money, and the motorways, shopping Centre’s, buildings etc. are proof of this…
… Meeting other types of people (such as the Indigenous community in Jardín or the artists in Moravia) with their rather distinct life priorities, definitely helps us to understand that in order to advance towards true development, we need to base all the processes of transformation on respect for all forms of thinking, which is what I personally perceive as sustainable development”
He added that whilst “ On the other hand, fulfilling the second phase of the certification affords the opportunity to witness another model of society it helps you to see other options or strategies which can be used to improve the living conditions which exist in Colombia. Clarifying how exactly we want to see our communities and our role within them”.
The first phase of the immersion, undergone in Medellín between 10th – 19th January, became the best stage to show the visiting students from the TSU how multicultural and mega-diverse Colombia really is.
Visits to museums, Moravia, to indigenous, rural, agrarian and coffee-growing communities, complemented by lectures, became appropriate means through which a favorable image of what is Colombia was created and in which North American students judged the impact of the community processes on the development of our people.
Between 7th and 18th March, Nashville, a predominantly Afro-American city located in the US state of Tennessee, with its strong history centered on the struggle for the recognition of Afro-American civil rights, in turn hosted the second and final phases of the first immersion.
This city gave us key tools enabling a better understanding of the life of the founding father of the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, and other Afro-American leaders that contributed to the improvement in the quality of life of these communities, and towards the present-day recognition of their political rights and participation.
For Karen Luna, a student of Nursing at the Tennessee State University, the exchange experience brought up many emotions “Never did I imagine that it would be so incredible” she said.
“Incredible in the sense that the Colombian students could interact with me both in English and Spanish, and given that I have Mexican ancestry, I was able to help them with practicing their English”
Luna added that “ the exchange allowed me to see many experiences which will never be forgotten; the moments and spaces where I enjoyed, watched and listened the Colombian culture as well. Ever since the moment that they arrived at Tennessee State University, I said that these people are never to be forgotten.”
Within the agenda formation, in both countries, those students that were at the top of their class had to develop research projects to be maintained over during their stay in both Medellin and Nashville.
Some of the topics that were on the table on both occasions are related to the role of women in the economic global processes; leadership and creativity for sustainability in Afro-American, indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities; the impact of the new energy solutions on biodiversity and sustainability; the use of traditional medicine in the United States and Colombia; and the engagement of young Afro-Colombian leaders in, amongst other things, social transformation.
Comparative analyses carried out in both countries showed that in the majority of the cases in both the United States and Colombia, serious problems have prevented effective development of historically marginalized Afro-American, Afro-Colombian and indigenous communities.
These leaders conclude and propose that “ the most pressing challenges that our communities face in order to strengthen natural resources and achieve development are; overcoming poverty, investing in education, creating cleaner technology for the mining and energy sectors, and allow local leaders to have a say in decisions that affect the development of our countries”.
These drastic measures to be taken do not just spring up out of nowhere. They are a product of the society building processes, reaffirming that the much-coined ‘next generation’ will be the body responsible for proposing and implementing the measures with in order to change the course of our communities.
The Colombian team to the delegation involved the following: University of Antioquia: Erika Cruz Palacios (Social Work); Angie Mena and Daiver Mosquera (Microbiology); Jessica Castro (International Business); Martha Guapacha (Education – Foreign Languages); Francys López (Civil Engineering); Abraham Mendoza (Health Administration); National University: Didier Rosales (Biological Engineering)
Technological University of Chocó: Ruth Daney Mosquera (Education – Foreign Languages) and Jhoan Hurtado Mosquera (Law) and the accompanying lecturers: Jeremy McNeal, Zayda Sierra, Félix Berrouet and Luisa Mejía
The delegation from the United States represented at the Tennessee State University as follows: Ayonna James, Salina Fountain and David Rawles (Business Administration); Erica Locket (Finance), Karen Luna and Mazi Byrd (Nursing); Makia Dixon and Rashad Demings (Social Work); David Johnson and Savannah Salters (Health Sciences); Carla Gibbs (Biology); Aeron Bess (Political Science); Jordan Speller (Systems Engineering), LeAnn Zaire (Psychology); Brayden Letwin (Communications) and Cristal Horne (Aeronautical Engineering); Attending lecturers: Jewell Winn, Mark Brinkley, Dalila Duarte and Mark Gunter.
Edited By: Nubia Castillo, Callum Mark and Jhoan Hurtado.