For the past 60 years, armed conflict in Colombia has given rise to numerous human rights violations, especially against trade unionists, human rights defenders, and environmental activists. Here We Draw the Line is a women's collective dedicated to defending the lives and integrity of these activists through cultural and artistic activities that raise awareness about human rights violations in Colombia. Founded in January 2021, the  initiative includes artists around the world, who volunteer their time and creative talents to raise awareness about the human rights crisis in Colombia. As a collective, they combine art, activism and social research to reconstruct the biographies of murdered social leaders. Members volunteer their time, and overhead costs are covered by individual donations.

Theory of Change

Individual solidarity and artistic expression can provide powerful support to social transformation.

Activities

Through Here We Draw the Line’s “Bulletproof Memories” project, volunteer artists make portraits of the 1,035 Social Leaders -- environmentalists,  feminists, indigenous leaders, leaders of Afro-descendant communities, educators, LGBTQIA+ activists, trade unionists, and community organizers -- who were systematically targeted and killed in Colombia since the signing in 2016 of the Peace Agreement with the FARC guerrilla group. The initiative is intended to spark a worldwide denunciation of these human rights violations and calls for peaceful action, justice, awareness and protection of activists. The portraits are showcased through street activism, involving local and diaspora Colombian communities, virtual galleries, and physical open-air exhibits. They are also printed as postcards and sent to embassies to stimulate a diplomatic response. After exhibition, the art is sent to the leaders' families and communities to commemorate their work.

Results

Here We Draw the Line is currently working with 45 artists across 7 countries. They held their first online and in-person exhibition for the public launch on April 9, 2021, the National Day of Remembrance and Solidarity with Victims of the Colombian Armed Conflict. The reconstruction and presentation of social biographies and artworks of murdered Colombian social leaders is intended to lead to three important outcomes: engage the international community; raise awareness about the contributions of Colombian murdered social leaders to their communities; and help to denounce human rights violations happening in Colombia. The database about the murdered leaders and their work will also serve as an up-to-date source of reliable information on human rights violations in Columbia.