Potluck Dinner for the Afro and Indigenous Populations of Lloro, Choco Hosted by AfrosUnidos

LLORO, Colombia - Oct. 20, 2021 - PRLog -- One of the lasting effects of modernity is colonialism. This exploitation was not limited to the land but went far beyond land and seeped into institutions, the sudden removal of the colonizers after the revolution created a power vacuum that made it easier for the illegally armed groups to rebel against the state. Neoliberal policies create a situation where these armed groups find it easier to exploit the local businesses and turn profits, the profits then are used for further conflict escalation. Such is the case in the Pacific department of Chocó.

After the signing of the peace accord between the Colombian government and the FARC a new swarm of conflicts arose in that region, Illegal armed groups fiercely controlling the naturally mineral-rich region which originally belonged to the indigenous people. The Afro-Colombian relied on the traditional methods of panning for gold, however, after the advent of mechanization in the industry, the Illegal groups in their conquest to find more gold, rely on machines and release more chemicals into the atmosphere.

AfrosUnidos (http://www.afrosunidos.org) carries out activities of cultural, recreational, social, educational, economic, and political relevance that contributes to the improvement of the quality of life for Afro-Colombian communities. Based in Medellin, Colombia, AfrosUnidos is an organization that wants to reconnect the fragmented African diaspora by establishing local ties revolving around education, knowledge of their history, business, community service and the promotion of their culture.

Inviting members of the local mining town, this potluck was a big opportunity for the organization to interact with the locals and understand their narratives. AfrosUnidos hopes to advise and comment on the internal communication processes and support the plans and activities of the afro and indigenous populations being affected by mechanized mining. They recognize the troubles that the community has gone through, and this potluck is a small event to help improve the quality of life for these people. Informal activities like this help the community act as a whole and gives them an avenue to celebrate and enjoy themselves, it also helps the organization manage collaborations between members and external people for activities and development of forums, talks or conferences.

"Activities such as the potluck help increase awareness which inevitably helps to plan alternative solutions to the problems with communication both within the organization and with other organizations." - Diomedes Cordoba (Community Leader)

The efforts to fight large corporations and illegal mining farms are often overlooked, however, AfrosUnidos hopes to inform everyone about the resilience of these local communities by providing them with activities that help them retain a sense of community.