Angélica Mayolo, Visiting Scholar

Angélica María Mayolo Obregón is the Former Minister of Culture of Colombia. She has held numerous other roles in public service in Colombia, having formerly served as Executive President of the Chamber of Commerce in Buenaventura and the Secretary of Economic Development in the Mayor’s Office of Cali, among other high-level advisory positions. She holds a Bachelor’s in Administrative Law from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Cali and a Master’s in International Law from UCLA.

Obregón specializes in administrative law, with knowledge and experience in economic development, cultural and creative industries, sustainability, international cooperation, and high-impact projects in vulnerable populations. Her honors include the 2019 Policarpa Salvarrieta Medal, awarded by the Congress of the Republic of Colombia in recognition of her work to advance women’s equality and economic empowerment. Obregón is currently an MIT MLK Fellow and a consultant for the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative where she leads the Afro-Interamerican Forum on Climate Change, an international network that works to highlight the critical role of Afro-descendant populations in global climate action.