Interview with Catalina Vásquez Salazar and Alejandra Pérez Torres
A remarkable story of freedom

Why does the world need to learn more about your story’s protagonist?

Because we find in Geraldine, the protagonist of our history, a woman with a history capable of inspiring many young activists. We believe that her struggle, coming from a forgotten territory with a strong presence of illegal and armed forces, being isolated by her own community before she claimed her rights and her empowerment to leave the countryside and come to the city, is a truly remarkable story of freedom in a country like Colombia. Her activism deserves to be highlighted and known around the world.

What was the most surprising discovery you made during your research?
 
The most surprising discovery was seeing Geraldine’s transformation as a leader within her Indigenous community (the Emberá-Chamí community of Dojura). Initially, she felt a great deal of rejection from her family and the Indigenous authorities, but as her activism consolidated, the group members began to see her as a very important social leader. It was truly touching for us when we traveled to Dojura and saw how the entire community’s perception of her changed: she was a person totally respected and valued by her family, friends, and her Indigenous authorities.

What gives you most pleasure while working on the project?
 
We really enjoyed getting to know Geraldine and her family in depth. The trip we made to her community took us to a region of Colombia we did not know before. It left us with beautiful memories and an experience that transformed us in every way. We are proud to know that through our work we can contribute to creating narratives that empower communities. Our aim is to recognize the diversity and multiplicity of the human experience and to portray it as unique and authentic.