Colombia joins Canada to give hope to the world

As part of my work for A Click For A Wish (I’m a finishing student in journalism and movie direction here in Colombia) I wanted to contact a Colombian celebrity to support our mission and to send a message of hope to people in distress through www.aclickforawish.org.

Yuri Katherine Vargas is a young revelation and I believed that her talent and her generosity to help others make Yuri Vargas a great potential Colombian personality to be part of a chain of celebrities from different countries who want to break the silence on depression and suicide.

Everything started in Medellin, when Yuri was recording the television series "Rosario Tijeras", a story based on the book of the same name written by Colombian Jorge Franco and in 2005 the film version had its premiere in Hollywood, at the American Film Institute festival.

David Ramirez and Paula Pajón, friends of the actress, gave me her number to contact her and explain what I had in mind.

To make contact with Yuri was difficult, until one day the actress returned my call, telling me it would be better to do the interview in Bogota where she lives. I understood her concerns, given the security situation in our country .

The day arrived, it was on Tuesday, November the 17th, and I flew from Rio Negro (Medellin) to Bogota with a cameraman. Upon arriving, the meeting with Yuri Vargas got delayed, she was recording the play: "SER MUJER COSA PA’MACHOS". For a moment we got nervous, thinking that the actress would cancel for security reasons.

At two o'clock in the afternoon we received a call and she gave us the address of her house.

When we arrived she invited us to have a drink and I started telling her more in details about the story behind A Click For A Wish. Immediately she felt more confident and started telling us about her own life and her hard times. At that moment during the shooting, I could see her deep interest in our foundation. And then, she had called all her artist friends, and asked for their collaboration. For me it was very impressive to see the impact we generate.


Then we took a taxi to the military school where we expected Yuri's friends; Actually, they were waiting for us and they listened with great respect to the story and the mission of A Click; then, one by one they came in front of the camera, they all wanted to tell their stories, they all wanted to send messages of hope. Around 6pm because of the light, we had to stop filming. It was frustrating for them and for me: like the end of a precious and beautiful moment spent sharing privacy and giving hope and encouragement… We left each others on the promise that they will be available to support us anytime in the future! That was so great, believe me! To see these young actors well known in Colombia, and some in Mexico and even in the USA, so down to earth, so humble and so generous…

We drove back to the home of Yuri Vargas, where we waited until 8pm when they ended the vehicle restriction in Bogota (depending on your plate, some hours are restricted). Yuri insisted to take us personally to the airport in her vehicle and let us see a different facet of her personality, a cheerful young woman, hardworking and above all with a big heart who motivates people to help others.

From Colombia, Yuri and all the other actors who passed through the camera of A Click For A Wish made a commitment to be part of a chain of artists who, around the world, announce that life is precious and we have to value it.

By Wilmar Valencia Alvarez, Medellin, Colombia, November 2009.