Medellín has 16 comunas, each of which is comprised of several smaller neighborhoods. None has a reputation like Comuna 13, and for that reason, I had some very mixed feelings heading there. I worried that it would be a perverse mix of dangerous urban underbelly wrapped up in the tourism boom; like being at a zoo, but with impoverished families on display instead of giraffes and pumas.
I was amazed at the vibrant, proud community that we found. Poverty is present, for sure, but it isn’t the kind of oppressive poverty that one sees in the slums outside of Nairobi or Johannesburg, and it isn’t the hopeless kind of poverty found in inner cities across the United States. Instead, this community was embracing the gritty aspects and turning them on their head to improve the lives of residents. They leverage the creativity of their residents by selling hand-crafted items that either showcase Comuna 13 as a “brand” or that mimic the style of the famous street art on routine items like shirts and hats.
Comuna 13 still faces struggles common across Colombia – poverty, limited access to education, and violence. But miraculously, the residents of this comuna have found a way not only to survive, but to aim higher and improve their lives by claiming their community as a source of pride.
Vacation Days 