Afro leaders were honored for their work in support of their communities

For the second consecutive year, the Afro Gala was held with the aim of recognizing Black and Afro leaders in the city for their contributions to the development and progress of their communities.

In accordance with the 2019 Agreement of CaliAfro Public Policy 0459, the Ministry of Social Welfare granted recognition in 6 categories out of 12 categories: public, private, social, health, sports and youth sectors.

The following are eligible for this recognition:

Melissa Martínez Peña – Entrepreneur

Valle Pacífico restaurant owner and visible hand trainer. This business executive is a winner of the SENA Entrepreneurship Funding Competition. He has seven years of experience in the gastronomic sector. The contribution of the private sector includes the preservation of Pacific cultural traditions and the development of a strategic line for it. Development and growth of the company, building community through markets on social networks.

Lucie del Carmen Luna Miranda – Cali’s Secretary of Health

Nursing, Masters in Public Policy, Specialist in Management Applied to Health Services, 28 years of experience in the field. During his career he has been responsible for leading audit, inspection, monitoring, control and quality assurance processes. Their contribution is focused on improving the delivery of quality services in basic health transport through ambulances.

George Edison Beria Figueroa – Urologist

Served as member of various medical societies. Peria Figueroa has collaborated in various conferences and published various editions with the aim of obtaining continuous training in her field of expertise.

“I feel very excited about this recognition, it inspires the work done and the unity, working together, at all levels of society and in whatever sector we work, allows us to strive to be better,” he said.

Gustavo Adrien Ramos – Footballer

The Colombian professional footballer currently plays for América de Cali of the Colombian first division. He was the player of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and was in the Colombian national team at the 2011 Copa America. The image of Ramos is not only fundamental to American fans, but also a place to embody the sport, as he leads social processes with boys, girls and youth, and his behavior and leadership are an example for the country’s baristas.

Janet Valencia – Founder of Lila Mujer

Janet is an activist and has contributed to the social sector through her work as a Social Promoter for Leila Mujer, a political space she founded to support the lives of Black women living with HIV through collective building and empowerment. Popular neighborhoods of Galle city since 2003.

Upon receiving the recognition, Leila Mujer founder Janet Valencia said:

“My struggle was for the rights of black and indigenous women living with HIV, and I decided to be visible because I am more than the testimony of HIV, I am a woman who changes my skin day by day, because today I can Be tribal, tomorrow I can represent a black woman and another day a mixed race woman. The activist added: “Today I raise my voice for the women of the east, for the abused girls in the east of Cali, for the femicides in the east of Cali, and we build life projects with dignity. “

Mauricio Cabezas – District Youth Councillor

National Representative for the Department of Valle del Cauca and Representative of the National Commission for Coordination and Conclusion of Public Policies for Youth. It has contributed to identifying the needs of young communities and recognizing and valuing the views of young people.

Similarly, other recognized categories are: Education, Media and Journalism, Music and Arts, Justice and Law, Education, Science and Technology as follows:

To the teacher and researcher María Isabel Mena, to the announcer José Pianel Guas González – Bebezon, to the actor and model Omar Murillo; Economist María Camila Estacio Sinistera in the Department of Justice and Law; University researcher and professor Elkin de Jesus Salcedo Hurtado in the Department of Education, Science and Technology.

The Afro Gala was entertained by the groups African Heritage and Hip Hop Resistencia Afro and closed with ‘Malungaje’ at the Flag Plaza of the Galle Cultural Centre.

#always be there

Mary Lorraine Angle – Lady Gonzalez