Colombian Vice President and Longtime Friend of HFA Francia Márquez Visits UMass Amherst
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Underscoring the notable ties between UMass Amherst and the Republic of Colombia, Colombian Vice President Francia Márquez visited the UMass Amherst campus on Oct. 20. Márquez met with Chancellor Javier Reyes and other members of the university community, including the College of Humanities & Fine Arts, and addressed an event organized by the Center for Latin American, Caribbean and Latinx Studies.
Since she first visited campus in 2011 to speak about the struggles of Afro-Colombian communities, Márquez has returned several times, however this was her first visit since being elected Colombia’s first Black vice president.
Márquez was the 2018 recipient of the Goldman Environmental Prize for her work to combat illegal gold mining by armed groups in her Afro-Colombian community. She has built a reputation as one of Colombia’s leading climate and social justice activists.
In addition to her role as vice president, Márquez was confirmed as Colombia’s first minister of equality and equity earlier this year. She discussed her vision for the new ministry, as it seeks to ensure that children, young people, women, the LGBTIQ+ community, the Afro-Colombian population and all other groups are treated as equals.
Reyes remarked on the longstanding connections between Márquez and the sociology and Afro-American studies departments at UMass. Given the university’s commitment to social justice and an increasing focus on sustainability, he said that it is a bond that will only grow stronger. During the visit, Márquez and university leaders discussed how they can continue to develop and strengthen partnerships with Colombia and Colombian institutions.
In August 2022, Amilcar Shabazz, professor and undergraduate program director of Afro-American studies, and Agustin Lao-Montes, professor of sociology and Afro-American studies and co-director of the African Diaspora graduate certificate program, attended the inauguration of Márquez and President Gustavo Francisco Petro Urrego in Bogota. The invitation was the result of their nearly two decades of research in Colombia and a longtime camaraderie with Márquez.
Over that time, Shabazz and Lao-Montes have recruited several Afro-Colombian students to UMass Amherst who have gone on to work internationally, ranging from building Africana studies programs in Colombia to contributing to the democratic mobilization that led to the election of a progressive government for the first time in the country’s recent history.
Consul General Carolina Mejía Gil, who leads the Consulate of Colombia in Boston, joined Márquez on her latest visit to UMass. Representatives of Gov. Maura Healey’s office were also on hand to present a proclamation to Márquez, formally welcoming her to the commonwealth.