WASHINGTON – Howard University’s Justin Hansford attended the historic inauguration ceremony for the newly elected Colombian President Gustavo Francisco Petro Urrego and Vice President Francia Marquez Mina on August 7 in Bogotá, Colombia.

This inauguration marks the first time Colombia has elected a Black vice president and the first time the country has elected progressive leaders. “It was an honor to be on hand to see a longtime social justice warrior and reparations activist ascend to office as the vice president of Colombia. She represents a new light of hope for Black liberation movements globally,” said Hansford.

As a member of the U.S. delegation and National African American Reparations Commission representative, Hansford attended the International Reparations Conference preceding the inauguration. The meeting added momentum to the global reparations movement, as a similar conference was held just days before in Accra, Ghana. Delegates from Latin America, the Caribbean, France and more were in attendance. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, New York Congressman Gregory Meeks and Jesse Jackson Jr. were among the invited guests attending the conference.

Hansford was recently elected as a member of the United Nations’ Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, with the issue of reparations high on his list of priorities.

“During the March on Washington, Dr. King famously described how America had defaulted on the promissory note of freedom and justice insofar as her citizens of color were concerned. I believe strongly that cashing that check is our generation’s responsibility and calling,” said Hansford. “We are closer to reparations now than we have ever been in our nation’s history. If I can help gain any small reparations victory, in a university, business, church, or local city and state government, I will feel like I made a righteous contribution to a noble cause in my lifetime. It’s a cause that would make my family members, living and no longer with us, very proud to know that I worked to push towards victory.”

The trip to Colombia builds on the partnership that the University and the country of Colombia have built in recent years. Last year, the University launched HU-COL Avanza to provide opportunities for Howard University students and faculty to have compelling international experiences, strengthen their Spanish language skills, and build relationships with other members of the African diaspora. Additionally, there are initiatives to support entrepreneurship, innovation, education, health care, justice, equity, diversity and inclusion for people of African descent in Colombia through intensive engagement and educational exchange opportunities led by Howard University.