“Cómo luchar contra el mundo cuando todo se derrumba, cómo olvidarnos y ya y que la vida perdura, he visto a un hombre llorar frente a un espejo, yo le doy gracias a mi madre que es lo que más quiero y así le canto a la vida pues porque soy poeta, tal vez le cante al fututo, de eso dependan mis letras” - Excerpt from Tears of Blood, song by Son Bata. Yesterday in Medellin, Colombia, a young leader by the name of Andres Felipe Medina Palacios was killed as a result of gun violence. Andres Felipe was one of the few positive role models for young children in his comunity. He was the co-founder of an organization called Son Bata New, which uses the arts (music, dance, visual arts etc) to promote cultural awareness and equality in the Afro-Colombian community. In addition to acting as a role model and father figure for many of the youth in his community he also had a two year old daughter of his own. His loss not oly affected his immediate family but also affected his neighborhood and the larger community of Medellin.
Andres Felipe was an active volunteer of the YMCA in Medellin and was also very close to our Colombian YMCA Youth Exchange participants Jeison, Julian, and Yuli, so when they heard of his death they were devastated. From Toronto Jeison, Julian and Yuli instantly started calling home and mobilizing their community members, to walk in a march that took place that same day as this tragic death.
Violence is a reality for many people around the world and it is through people like Medina that we can still have hope for a peaceful future. Violence creates a ripple effect but so can peace.
