About Me

Paula Moreno, a Colombian industrial engineer with an MPhil in Management Studies from the University of Cambridge and advanced training at MIT and Yale, is a trailblazing leader. She made history as Colombia’s youngest female minister and the first Afro-Colombian woman to hold this position at 28. Globally, she has been the first Afro-Latina on the Ford Foundation’s Board of Trustees, where she chaired the Program Committee.

As the founder and president of Manos Visibles, one of Latin America’s most influential NGOs promoting racial equity, Paula Moreno has impacted the lives of over 30,000 people, primarily Afro-Colombians, and strengthened more than 600 organizations. Her global vision drives initiatives across 15 countries with African diasporas through exchange and collaboration programs.

Paula Moreno’s contributions have earned her international acclaim as one of the world’s most influential leaders. She has received honors such as the Unita Blackwell Award, the UN’s MIPAD recognition, the UK Black Excellence Award, and highest government distinctions like the Order of San Carlos (Colombia) and the Order of the Aztec Eagle (Mexico). Named one of the region’s most influential young leaders by the Council of the Americas and celebrated as a pioneering social entrepreneur by the World Economic Forum, she is also a Fulbright Excellence Awardee, Global Fairness Awardee, and most recently, a Skoll Fellow—cementing her role as a global leader in equity.

Beyond her professional achievements, Paula Moreno is a writer and cultural producer dedicated to social change. For over 15 years, she was a columnist for El Tiempo and is the author of The Power of the Invisible (2018) and Dreaming the Impossible (2022). Her creativity extends to documentaries, films, and musical albums, reflecting her conviction in the transformative power of culture and storytelling.

Media: Watch & Listen