Laura Rios Diaz | 2024 | Women By Women

Laura Rios Diaz is a talented photographer and visual artist. She joined the Women By Women project because it closely related with her artistic and political commitment to presenting women in an accurate and authentic way. It also aligned with the anti-racist and decolonial perspective she brings to her photography.

For the 2024 exhibition, Laura worked with women refugees trying to build a more secure future in Colombia. Most of the women she photographed had come from Venezuela in search of jobs, education and a better life for themselves and their families.

Many of the women photographed by Laura had found support through Alianza por la Solidaridad (ActionAid Colombia), who helped them find their feet with accommodation, food, jobs and other necessities. They also received advice on acquiring legal status in the country and most of the women now have jobs and earn a steady income.

Andrea spent four days on a bus without a bed or food to make it to Colombia from Venezuela. When she arrived, she started working as a housekeeper and sent home anything she earned to her daughter.

After seeking support from Alianza por la Solidaridad, Andrea was able to scale back her hours and start up a small business selling homemade honey and jellies on the side. With her income, she hopes to one day finish her studies, send her daughter to school and grow her business.

Diana, her husband and their children are walking from Ecuador to Colombia. The family are originally from Venezuela but left in search of a better life. However, their rights as workers were not respected in Ecuador, so now they are heading to Colombia. When they get there, Diana wants to open a business selling authentic Venezuelan food while her husband gets a job so they can earn enough money to send their children to school.

When she lived in Venezuela, Marulina worked three jobs in a hospital and two more jobs in an outpatient clinic but barely earned enough to make ends meet. She is a medical professional, trained in traumatology and orthopaedics and moving to Colombia was her only option to make a liveable income. Now, she is in the process of revalidating her medical degree and acquiring legal status in the country.

Yosmary and her two daughters arrived in Colombia eight months ago. They travelled from Venezuela by foot and by donkey so Yosmary could work and give her children a more secure future. After seeking support from Alianza por la Solidaridad, Yosmary now shares a home with two other refugee women and earns an income as a cleaner. She also sometimes sells candy on the street to make extra money.

Discover the stories of inspirational women and the talent of women photographers in our previous Women By Women exhibitions.