Commissioner describes Colombia field trip and student environmental-justice showcase

Commissioner Vanessa told the Human Rights Commission about a recent University of Michigan field course visit to Colombia that connected students with environmental justice and sustainable-practice projects.

Vanessa said the delegation visited Caquetá and the Andes, meeting local environmental-justice organizations, indigenous leaders and farmers who have shifted from cattle or illicit crops to sustainable agriculture. She said the visit included regeneration work near the Amazon and that local groups have been able to reforest and protect hundreds of hectares through community organizing and land-restoration projects.

Vanessa described meetings in Bogotá with Universidad de Tadeo, which she said hosts one of the country's earliest environmental-justice programs, and noted local practices — including extensive bicycle infrastructure and low-plastic service norms — that reflect broader municipal sustainability efforts. She said students observed projects ranging from geothermal and reforestation to converted avocado farms that replaced cattle operations.

Vanessa invited commissioners to a student showcase on April 17 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the Dana Building; the event will feature student poster presentations and guest speakers and will be available in a hybrid format, she said. Vanessa said she will circulate details and photos from the trip once available.

Commissioners discussed whether environmental justice fits the commission’s future work. Several commissioners said environmental justice intersects with human-rights issues and could be an area for future HRC attention, though no formal action was proposed.