Samanta Arango Orozco

grassroots educator and member of Grupo Semillas

Samanta Arango Orozco grew up in the countryside, in the department of Quindío, Colombia, amidst rivers and mountains teeming with life and diversity.

Her environment sparked an interest in understanding and protecting the intricate web of relationships—both human and non-human—that sustain us all. Arango Orozco pursued studies in anthropology, focusing on political ecology, gender, and the environment. Since then, she has dedicated herself to fostering communication and pedagogy to defend territories and communities threatened by extractive projects. She collaborates with ethnic and peasant communities in Tolima, Risaralda, and Quindío, who resist mining-energy- and agro-industrial projects, advocating for the protection and care of ecosystems, native seeds, and food sovereignty. Arango Orozco has served as an editor for the magazine Semillas, coordinated the Cacica Dulima School of political and women’s advocacy, and participated in the Manuel Quintín Lame Agroecological and Territorial School. Currently, she works with organizations such as Amar Es Más, Grupo Semillas, and Confluencia de Mujeres para la Acción Pública.