On April 23, 2024, members and supporters gathered to inaugurate the Cali, Colombia Chapter of the J. Reuben Clark Society. The event was attended by several lawyers from different religious denominations, who share the purpose of serving the greater Cali community and promoting the protection of human rights.
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David Garner, International Chair of JRCLS, joined the meeting virtually and encouraged the chapter's new members to keep in mind JRCLS' mission of promoting fairness and virtue through public service and professional excellence.
In addition, Cristina Ortega, South America Northwest Area Chair, attended in person to meet the new members of the chapter, answer their questions, share experiences about other chapters and collaborate in organizing the board of directors.
Elder Harold Truque, who serves as Area Authority Seventy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the South America Northwest Area, was appointed as Chapter President. A vice president, secretary and members of the board of directors for women in law, religious freedom, communications, and events, among others, were also elected.
About the Author
*Lawyer from the Universidad Externado de Colombia (2008).
*Specialist in Criminal and Criminological Sciences from Universidad Externado de Colombia (2011).
*Master in Human Rights and Democratization from Universidad Externado de Colombia and Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (2020), with a thesis on command responsibility in the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, and its application in cases of sexual violence during the Colombian armed conflict.
*LL.M. in Comparative Law from Brigham Young University (2021), as a Fellow of the International Center for Law and Religion Studies.
**Cristina Ortega has worked as a criminal litigator for national and international firms before local and national judicial authorities, including the Colombian Attorney General's Office and the Supreme Court of Justice. She has also worked as an attorney advisor in criminal matters for universities, the Innocence Project, and the Colombian Ministry of Justice. In addition, she has been a judicial officer of two high courts, namely, the Superior Council of the Judiciary, where she was in charge of disciplinary proceedings, and the Constitutional Court, where she focused on issues related to children’s educational rights, sexual and reproductive rights, the right to due process, the right to double instance, as well as freedom of religion, press, and information. After completing her master's degree at Brigham Young University, she interned with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights at the Organization of American States (OAS). Subsequently, she completed her international legal training at Kirton McConkie, where she currently is contracted as outside counsel. Besides, she serves as the JRCLS South America Northwest Area Chair (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela) and as the Latin America Spanish Specialist for the JRCLS Communications Committee.
