Rosa Milena Becerra, is a leader of the community La Esperanza in the municipality of Buenaventura.

 

La Esperanza is a primarily Afro-Colombian community that was displaced in 2004 due to the conflict between paramilitaries and guerrillas. In 2008, they won a collective title to their land under Colombia’s Law 70, a mechanism for Afro-Colombian communities to claim collective land titles based on cultural and ethnic histories.

 

Despite this, their land is still being sold out from under them and used for illegal mining projects among other things. Community members still work to maintain control over their land, and as a result, face many threats.

 

Rosa’s son was a victim of such threats. He was assassinated in response to his organizing efforts.