We met at the base of a steep hill that served as an entrance to Comuna 13, a neighborhood formerly known for violence and poverty in Medellín, Colombia that is now a must-see for visitors. Our Venture with Impact group hummed with energy, eager to start our tour of the colorful, captivating murals lining the neighborhood’s streets. We had traveled to Colombia full of curiosity, eager to immerse ourselves in the history and transformation enveloping Medellín. Our tour guide, Cristian, gestured to a salon at the corner. Through an open window, a petite woman laughed while cutting hair. “That’s my mom!” he beamed, his youthful exuberance belying his 20 years of age. “She’s had to work a lot more since my dad fled the neighborhood.”
The details of why Cristian’s dad had to flee remain hazy, but the root causes are clear. Government (mis) action and gang violence eroded a sense of safety and created a crisis in the community: flee or die. Comuna 13 is full of stories like these. Graffiti artists immortalize the difficult history on murals that captivate viewers. Some murals are a single story tall; others stretch 30 feet into the air. The community holds the power to decide to change a mural. What if all neighborhoods immortalized history – with all its nuance – in striking public monuments? What might we remember?
Cristian knows Comuna 13’s places intimately – he’s lived in the neighborhood his entire life. He also knows its people. After he shared the history behind a mural titled “La Fuerza Está En Ti”, a girl of about twelve came up and gave him a big hug. “How do they know each other so well?” I wondered aloud. Lindsey, our Program Director, had the answer. “Cristian volunteers at the Asociación Cristiana de Jóvenes (ACJ), the only YMCA branch in Colombia.” ACJ is located in Comuna 13, offering education, job training, and resources to its residents. Cristian shared that he earns money by traveling three hours outside of Medellín to teach English. When he isn’t teaching or traveling, he volunteers at ACJ. He prefers volunteering above all, even if ACJ can’t afford to pay him for his time. His dedication sparked more questions. In a neighborhood where money was scarce and needs are many, what motivates Cristian? Does he dream of building a “career” or is he hoping to build something else?
At the end of the tour, Lindsay and I headed over to ACJ to learn about their program. The ACJ team shared a video of their vision for the neighborhood: community gardens, science experiments, and a robust English language program. Venture with Impact paired each participant with a local organization where we volunteered our time and professional skills. Back in the U.S., I work for Great Minds, creating a knowledge-rich curriculum designted to teach reading and writing through the study of engaging, beautifully illustrated books. ACJ asked if I could help them build their English language program and I accepted. Could a model that worked well in the United States help to build essential English language skills in Colombia?
Cristian and I launched into a collaboration to explore a text-based approach to learning English. We identified books in English and Spanish that could be read together to build vocabulary and knowledge of the English language. However, we couldn’t figure out how to ensure all of ACJ’s children would have copies of the necessary texts. When I left a month later, I hesitated to leave our work in progress. How might we send the necessary books to Colombia? What else would these children need to build their academic English? Many months after returning to the States, these questions rolled around in my head.
The beauty of travel lies in the questions. Novel places spark new thoughts and fresh perspectives. Could Medellín’s clear desire for peace and economic growth provide a fertile foundation for success in education? Could children from Comuna 13 learn from the same books that spark learning in American schoolchildren?
Travel also unlocks hope. Cristian preferred volunteering to earning money because he had a vision for the children of Comuna 13. He knew that learning English opens up job opportunities in Colombia’s growing tourist economy. He wanted to build a strong foundation for the children of his neighborhood. Cristian’s vision and commitment is inspiring; anyone invited to support his work feels honored to contribute. Just what I hoped for when I signed up for Venture with Impact.