POLITICAL NEGRITUDES

"...for a racist, involuntary and retrograde country, it would come as a surprise that a black woman was on television for more than three minutes."

France Marquez. Vice President of Colombia. Credits: Darwin Torres

A few years ago, when I was a child, I was constantly launching myself as a representative or representative of the school. There were always several candidates. What I noticed at that moment was that in politics (or at least the politics that I saw on television) there were no women - or were they not shown? - much less black women.

I was beginning my school 'campaign' and what people remembered the most about me was black, churca and short. None of the three bothered me; but I did want to be remembered for something else, for my proposals, for my way of speaking or for anything else. Although many times I won and many other times I lost, this memory made me think about now. Caramba! If I had launched today, surely they would remember me more for my proposals, or not?

Student Ombudsman. That day I ordered myself to straighten my hair precisely to 'appease' my churcos.

The headlines on Sunday March 13 were: ´Francia Márquez: the electoral surprise' or 'France Márquez, the revelation of the elections´. It didn't seem like a surprise to me, nor a revelation. So I try to understand that for a racist, regressed and retrograde country, it was surprising that a black woman was on television for more than three minutes.

France catapulted and, although her blackness is clearly part of her identity, people should remember her not only for that: not for being Petro's vice-presidential formula or the victorious Afro in an electoral campaign, no; but for his proposals, for his talent as a political leader and his ability to draw and blur the country as many times as necessary to promote change.

""Today different things are taking place, young people and children are seeing different human beings on national screens: Afro, indigenous and LGTBIQ+ communities".

In one of those student campaigns, one of the best-known girls at school told me, in her profound ignorance, that I shouldn't be a candidate, that black was not enough for me; I don't blame her. What is certain is that different things are taking place today, young people and children are seeing different human beings on national screens: Afro, indigenous and LGTBIQ+ communities. And from there, from showing the difference, identity is built, the recognition of other human beings and the equitable possibility of behaving as citizens of the world.

To France and to all the representatives of 'Los Nadie', thank you for pushing the gradual, but necessary transformation for Colombian minds.

SHELL:

Beware of the instrumentalization of Afro communities within the political sectors. It must be remembered that five of the eight presidential candidates chose Afro candidates as the vice-presidential formula. What intention will be behind it?

#FranciaMárquez #Politics #Negritudes #Change #Colombia #Elections