On February 19, 2014, the DC Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs honored WOLA Senior Associate Gimena Sánchez-Garzoli for her tireless work to promote the human rights of Afro-Descendent communities in Colombia. WOLA continues to work on the human rights crisis facing these communities and to include their voices in the ongoing peace process. In a recent letter signed by 12 counterpart organizations, WOLA urged U.S. and Colombian governments to protect Afro-Colombian leaders and communities under threat, and to investigate and bring the aggressors to justice. The letter also called on all parties involved in the Colombian armed conflict to respect international humanitarian law and to refrain from actions that harm civilians and displace innocent people.