Report by Fireflies Team
Ricardo Andrés Tabares grew up on a farm in the countryside near Bogotá, Colombia ahead of rebels forced his household to leave. Initial the rebels demanded foods, then the family’s livestock. When Andrés was thirteen many years previous, the rebel leader demanded his father give up their 3-12 months-aged daughter. At that level, Andrés’ father refused to comply with their demands. When the rebel leader became angry and threatened the family members, the Tabares loved ones grabbed what they could carry and left every little thing else behind.
The family hitchhiked into Bogota and found on their own living a subsistence existence in the city’s slum. Andrés’ father imagined his family members in Bogotá would consider them in, but that wasn’t the scenario. Eventually Andrés’ father was capable to find perform and saved adequate dollars to purchase a little twenty x 20 foot piece of land in the barrio named Cazuca.
Andrés says “Factors are better now and we have what is most essential – a floor and a roof to live under.”
“Coming from the countryside has been challenging. We had been utilized to the river and raising our animals. But right here in the city it is really different because you can’t even keep a tiny chicken… there’s no spot to preserve it or cash to feed it.” Andrés continued, “Right here, anything comes in a bag… h2o in a bag, milk in bag. On the farm we ate what we grew. Here, everything costs money. If you have funds, you purchase stuff. If you don’t, you can’t.”
Other individuals in the barrio have escaped the violence of rebels just like Andrés’ family members. However, they left rebels in the countryside only to inherit “social cleansing” groups inside the barrios. These groups take the law into their individual hands by making an attempt to silence individuals and keep them below their handle. Andrés says: “… there is a war to win, and we’ll win it: for all individuals carrying out a thing positive for our neighborhood, and over all, for our households.”
Simply because of the threats to him, Andrés procedures capoeira, a Brazilian martial artwork. But even although he fears these cleansing groups, he expresses what’s on his thoughts via his guitar audio and his rap. He normally requires on the issues of his neighborhood by way of his new music and speaks out about what’s occurring in his barrio.
Andrés says, “My dream is to be a wonderful rap artist, but that is just a portion of my dreams. The other part is to assist my people in Cazuca, the men and women of my neighborhood by singing and rapping the truth.”
As a 13-12 months-aged, Andrés produced a video entitled Rapping At Fear for a task entitled Beyond Borders: Personal Stories from a Tiny Planet. Eleven quick films were chosen. The movies have been produced by teenagers who are overcoming enormous road blocks that have defined their lives. The teens shot, edited, and wove their documentaries with animation and archival footage to tell their individual stories on fear and insecurity.
Right after filming Rapping at Concern, Andrés joined Metropolis Television Bogota as a children’s Tv host where he worked for about a year. He continues to execute rap in Cazuca and belongs to a theater group in Taller de Vida.
Andrés could view himself as a victim and succumb to the violence and destructive way of life close to him. But he has selected to rise previously mentioned what is incorrect and perform at creating it correct. It is not straightforward, but he has the enthusiasm and the belief to help make it occur.
I don’t know about you but I am inspired and challenged by the youth of right now who are stepping up to combat the things they see are mistaken – making an attempt to make their lives and the planet a greater spot.
Life is not easy. And it isn’t fair. But it is your life, and you can pick to stay it victoriously. Allow Andrés’ tale inspire you to consider the actions you want to consider in purchase to move forward with intention and determination.
About the Author
Ginny Dye, Sandi Valentine & Suess Karlsson are a team of writers who all share a enthusiasm to empower and encourage everybody who they touch via their writing. Their tales are a gift to the entire world! Learn how to produce the good results you dream of, defeat obstacles and issues, and reside a daily life of grace and adore. Please check out us at http://www.firefliesfortheheart.com