Solidarity
There are stories that remind us of the best of humanity. Stories of dedication, commitment, collaboration, and respect. Great acts and simple acts, born from empathy, that have the capacity to transform lives and strengthen communities. Amid conflicts, wars, actions and decisions that violate the rights of many people, natural disasters, and severe impacts from climate change, it is hopeful to find these stories of solidarity.
World Central Kitchen (WCK) “World Central Kitchen started with a simple idea at home with my wife Patricia: when people are hungry, you have to send cooks. Not tomorrow, today” says José Andrés, the Spanish chef who migrated to the United States, and who in 2010 went to Haiti to support the victims of the Haiti earthquake. He learned from the local people and the value of working alongside them.
"We are not victims, we are neighbors helping neighbors," says a woman in the WCK introductory video.
WCK is in Manizales, Cali, Pereira, and Quibdó, Colombia, cities severely affected by the August 10 earthquake. They remain in Venezuela, where they arrived in June following the earthquake there. They are also in Spain and France, supporting people affected by the wildfires in July. They have now reached Hawaii and Indonesia as well.
Thousands of people have mobilized to stand alongside those affected, offer support, and put their skills and resources at the service of those who need them. Sometimes, solidarity begins with a simple act: sharing verified information or donating time or money according to each person’s means and capacity. Solidarity allows us to care for and support one another.
Of course, we are not unaware of the challenges. Communities face pressures on services, employment, and housing, among others. These realities require serious responses and effective public policies; however, they cannot become the fertile ground for discourses that seek to point fingers and feed distrust.
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