The Medellín Experience
Format
Oral Presentation
Abstract/Artist Statement
Once home to Colombia's mightiest drug lords, Medellín, the country's second largest metropolis was considered only a few years ago one of the most dangerous places in the world – the "city of eternal violence." Since 2003, the Medellín community has experienced a civic transformation: increased per capita income, crime rates comparable to most U.S. cities, and rising school performance. Fundamentally, Medellín now offers a higher quality of life to each of its residents. To gain a more engaging perspective of the Medellín wonder and its relevance as a model for the Stockton and San Joaquin County community, I conducted 18 interviews with various community members and officials in public safety, education, NGO’s, and business. Furthermore, I actually resided in three different parts of the city – in wealthy, middle-class, and low-income neighborhoods.Medellín's success stems from a balance of community resource leveraging. We seek to understand the role of policing and social interventions as well as the philosophy embedded in their conceptualization.
Location
DeRosa University Center, Room 211 A/B
Start Date
1-5-2010 9:00 AM
End Date
1-5-2010 12:00 PM
The Medellín Experience
DeRosa University Center, Room 211 A/B
Once home to Colombia's mightiest drug lords, Medellín, the country's second largest metropolis was considered only a few years ago one of the most dangerous places in the world – the "city of eternal violence." Since 2003, the Medellín community has experienced a civic transformation: increased per capita income, crime rates comparable to most U.S. cities, and rising school performance. Fundamentally, Medellín now offers a higher quality of life to each of its residents. To gain a more engaging perspective of the Medellín wonder and its relevance as a model for the Stockton and San Joaquin County community, I conducted 18 interviews with various community members and officials in public safety, education, NGO’s, and business. Furthermore, I actually resided in three different parts of the city – in wealthy, middle-class, and low-income neighborhoods.Medellín's success stems from a balance of community resource leveraging. We seek to understand the role of policing and social interventions as well as the philosophy embedded in their conceptualization.