A week ago, my home country of Colombia was hit by a 7.4-magnitude earthquake. Now, as the window to find survivors has closed, hundreds have died, and hundreds more are seriously injured or still reported missing. Because of its depth, the earthquake produced a more widespread shake and was felt throughout much of the country. The worst damage occurred in Cali, our third-largest city; in the cities that make up our beautiful coffee-growing region; and in Chocó, a stunning tropical rainforest along the Pacific coast and one of the most biodiverse territories in the world. Because of its remote location and difficult accessibility, Chocó also has the country’s highest poverty rate and has faced enormous economic and security challenges for decades.
This week has not been easy for any Colombian. As the initial emergency response winds down, we’re beginning to face what it will take to rebuild the hospitals, schools and homes that totally collapsed or were severely damaged.
But devastating as this has been, I want to reflect on the silver linings beneath the surface. Just two months ago, we came out of one of the most polarized presidential campaigns in Colombia’s history, one that left the country steeped in hate. And just three days before the earthquake, our new president was sworn into office.
Visiting several emergency collection centers around my city, Bogotá, I was moved by the solidarity with which we’ve all responded to this tragedy. Watching human chains of nearly a hundred people pass heavy boxes hand to hand to be loaded onto trucks, I realized how much good we can do when we work together. Those chains surely united people with very different political views, all trying to get food and medicine to those in need as quickly as possible. These past few days have shown us what humanity, solidarity, and empathy really mean. I just hope we can hold onto this — and remember that we do so much more with each other than against each other.
A special thanks to Toby for offering a space to share this, and to all of you for taking the time to read it.
As many of you will know, Paula Garcia is a valued Salonista, our thoughts are with her at this challenging time. TB
