Paisa Perspective: Claudia Márquez Cadavid – The First Lady

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Claudia Márquez Cadavid

In 2014, La Primera Dama de Medellín, Claudia Márquez Cadavid, hosted two events with the city’s top bloggers and social media influencers at the offices of Telemedellín.

The events offered terrific networking opportunities for attendees, including Colombian fashion blogger Laura Echavarria and food blogger Tulio, as well as a chance for La Primera Dama* to highlight several of the city’s social programs.

We invited her to participate in our Paisa Perspective series and are glad she said yes.

* La Primera Dama translates as “The First Lady,” which is the title given to the Mayor’s wife.

Growing up

I was born in Laureles, a very different neighborhood from what it is today. During my childhood I lived in a traditional home. The neighbors and I would play hide and seek, tag, ding-dong-ditch, and rode bikes freely.

Now we live in a building in San Lucas which really changes life a lot because it is more independent and we sadly don’t have a lot of contact with the neighbors.

What sets Medellín apart

The people, the kindness, the smiles, the service. Attitude in Medellín is what sets us apart.

Medellín being named “City of the Year”

It inspires pride but is a challenge at the same time because you have to maintain that title.

As a large city, we gained recognition at a global level because for a long time Medellín hadn’t been on the world’s radar.

Claudia Márquez Cadavid and family
Claudia Márquez Cadavid and family

Favorite aspects of paisa culture

The mountains and the Chicharrón.

Activities and cultural events

I like Feria de las Flores very much because of the wonderful encounter between country and city life, also because of that purest demonstration of the silletera culture, the biodiversity that characterizes us and the recovery of flowers as heritage.

In her free time

I spend time with my family. What I do is take walks with my children, go to Parque Norte, Parque Explora, walk through Jardín Circunvalar, and we’re waiting for the Parques del Río to enjoy it as a family.

Good eats

We have a wide variety of establishments that are part of our Medellín Sí Sabe project that are made up of 49 traditional Colombian food establishments. There is something for every taste.

The Role of First Lady

I take on this role with absolute responsibility, with the many challenges that motivate my team and I to make things possible.

I would like for the population, more than know about the First Lady, to take on the projects like Mercados Campesinos, Medellín Sí Sabe, and Techo una Historia as their own.

I would like to see people walking the city, getting to know it, valuing our farmers and business men and women that work day to day to offer the best of themselves.

For those who want to volunteer

Luckily, Medellín has a large number of non-profit foundations that work in specific ways to accomplish specific objectives. Any of these foundations that receives help will, I’m sure, use the resources well.

10 years from now

I want a Medellín where we can walk more, use cars less.

A city with a lot of public space in which we can share with family, where we can go on more picnics and have more places to enjoy our biodiversity.

A happier Medellín, smart, equal, and very innovative. A Medellín without extreme poverty.

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2 COMMENTS

  1. Thank you Claudia for this excellent post,Medellin is now almost every week in the news,with good news!!When I read articles like 10 Best Places to retire in 2015 in Live and Invest Oversees by experienced travel expert Kathleen Peddicord,8 Great Places to Retire Abroad by Kiplinger financial magazine,another article in British magazine The Economist about Medellin transformation in the last 10 years,National Geographic Traveler magazine recommending Best Places to visit in 2015,I am amazed also to see where Medellin stand today,the world is seeing where Medellin is now,and is amazing!!!More airlines with direct flights to Medellin soon(Aeromexico and Iberia),I had been in Medellin 2 times and is also amazing the kindness,hospitality,smiles and happy faces that I saw in the people of this city,when I asked for directions more than one person try to help me,the taxi drivers,Metro workers ,bus drivers,restaurants and supermarkets employees are also amazing,is not the beauty of the city only, is the people of Medellin,I want to congratulate you and your husband Anibal,for that great job as major(alcalde) de Medellin,reducing the crime and reducing the poverty in this city,I wish you the best,you and your husband are special nice people.that maybe in the future may consider to run for the Presidency of Colombia,as Medellin is in good hands now,and Colombia will be too if you decide one day to run,God Bless you and Colombia.I will be a paisa pretty soon ,I am retiring to Medellin.I am in love with this city and his people!!Mario.