“Parceros” is the name of the new series premiered by History Channel, which portrays the resilience and hope of three young people from Medellin, trapped in a context of violence and vulnerability. It is a support program that offers them tools to reinvent themselves and build a new future.
The documentary, hosted by Argentine actor and singer Michel Brown, known for his roles in productions such as “Pasión de Gavilanes”, “Pálpito”, and “Amar a muerte”; and recognized for his ability to capture the human essence. He immerses himself in the world of these young people at a crucial moment in their lives.
Thus, the parceros (Juan Sebastian Orozco, Marcela Cuesta and Alejandro Henao), take the audience by the hand through their most intimate experiences. “Their testimonies and life experiences not only show their struggles and fears, but also the courage to choose a different path,” History Channel notes. “Through Michel’s eyes, their stories come to life, revealing the complex journey toward personal improvement and the search for new opportunities.”
With “Parceros”, the famous channel reaffirms its promise to offer series, documentaries and original productions that not only entertain, but also connect with the curious and emotional side of its audiences, whom it permanently invites to discover the story behind the story, to explore the mysterious, the unknown and the intriguing.
The common denominator of the three parceros
The three protagonists were chosen because, “in some way, their lives reflect the struggles of young people from the neighborhoods of Medellin who have been walking on the edge of the knife, and have managed to turn their lives around to become examples that it is possible to get out of the hole, as long as there is will for improvement,” says El Colombiano.
Another factor they have in common Juan, Marcela and Alejandro is that they have been beneficiaries of the “Parceros” program of the Mayor’s Office of Medellin, designed to prevent the recruitment of young people by criminal organizations. To avoid this, the administration provides them with training and employment opportunities and offers psychosocial support.
These are young people “who were about to lose everything”; they are “three lives marked by extreme decisions, three voices crying out to be heard,” Brown said at the documentary presentation, and asked whether it is possible to change a life destined for violence and whether one can plan a future when everything is lacking. To his question, he himself responded: “Sometimes it is just one opportunity that saves you from the destiny that seemed inevitable.”
The Parceros program of the Medellin Mayor’s Office seeks to strengthen the empowerment capacities of an initial group of 820 children and young people between 10 and 28 years old who are in contexts of social risk. The District Administration provides them with opportunities to fulfill their dreams and aspirations, contributing to the development of their life projects.
In this new stage of the program, four approaches are addressed through which a network of care and support is created for young people in different contexts of vulnerability. The components are Parceros, Parceritos, Young Creators and Parceras.
In this way, the program works with young people who are instrumentalized or at risk of being so by criminal structures (Parceros), with students from seventh to eleventh grade with behavioral problems (Parceritos), and with those at risk of future conflicts with authorities (Young Creators).