“Lo que me hace feliz es estar con la gente” 

 

That is what drives Nadya Blel in her pursuits to help and empower the people of Colombia and Latin America that are often times unrepresented. In this episode of “Learn from Leaders” I sit down with Nadya Blel a senator of the republic of Colombia. To know her story it is important to understand one of her biggest obstacles in her career, her father’s legacy. Vicente Blel was a former senator for Colombia who was caught having ties with paramilitary factions in Colombia. Nadya had to work through her own political career with the stain that her father left and, yet she has shown to be the opposite of what those who brush her off have said. She has had to fight twice as hard becoming the youngest female senator in Colombian history and fending off accusations of corruption. All for the benefit and hope that the people that she represents and cares for might see actual change in the system. In her fight against asbestos she managed to form a coaltion in congress and fight financial powers that benefit from the laws in place that was killing the people in her country. She was able to change the laws and create a movement to stop the widespread use of this deadly material which was used universally. She also shows her humility and analyzes what she might view as a weakness: feeling like she is not doing enough. She wants to do more for the people which she fights for, but having such a young age and vigour, her fights prove to just be beginning.

 

“Aprendemos mas de nuestros fracasos y caidas, que nuestros exitos”