From my own observations and what I've gathered from conversations and written materials, Colombia sadly harvests many racial tensions and manifestations of discrimination. (For instance, graffiti reading "skinheads" in English was in many parts of Medellín, and I even noticed a couple Swaztica tatoos). [PLEASE NOTE: This is not to say that everyone feels this way; there are many amazing people who treat all others equally].
The nation is home to many people of Afro-Colombian and indigenous descent, who seem to lack the same opportunities for advancement as their lighter-skinned compatriots. For example, it is standard for families here to have an "empleada" or "muchacha"-- a woman who does the cooking and cleaning for the home and lives and works within the household-- and, here in Cali, almost all of them are black or indigenous. Although I'm hopeful that most employers pay their "muchacha" adequately and provide her with proper compensation (and most probably do), I don't think that this is always the case... Thus, Colombia needs to make a lot of progress to create an environment of equality for all.
Please meet Marlon, the five-month-old son of Marta, the "muchacha" of our household. He is my constant companion and little buddy. =) I often think about the future that awaits him, and I really hope that he'll be able to get an education and build a better life for himself someday.
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