You might expect teenagers to write songs about love, heartbreak, or money. In the neighborhood of Alto Bonito in Rionegro, Colombia, two friends wanted to do something different. As a tribute to a life-changing art workshop called “Casa Pintada,” Esleide and Nelson were inspired to write a song about progress in their community.
Listen to “Casa Pintada” by Esleide and Nelson
Esleide, 15, and Nelson, 16, are two friends who met when Nelson migrated from Venezuela a year and a half ago with his adopted family. Esleide, who is originally from Cartagena, Colombia, has been living in Alto Bonito for four years.
A strong friendship blossomed between the boys after discovering a shared passion: music. Every weekend, Esleide and Nelson head to the Rionegro city center to record original songs in a local studio. Equipped with a microphone, an audio interface, and a keyboard, they have everything they need to get the creative juices flowing.
Esleide and Nelson were among the dozens of participants in the Casa Pintada (or “painted house”) workshop earlier this year. Led by the Colombian artist Vicky Fadul, Casa Pintada is a weeklong project for families in low-income neighborhoods to paint their homes side-by-side. This activity provides neighbors with a shared, restorative goal that breaks down barriers to community cohesion.
Casa Pintada is a key part of the Acogida program, funded by U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, which provides critical support to Venezuelan migrants and vulnerable Colombians. We operate Acogida in regions of Colombia experiencing migration flows from Venezuela, where many cope with displacement and isolation.
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- Casa Pintada workshop in Alto Bonito.
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- Casa Pintada workshop in Alto Bonito.
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- Casa Pintada workshop in Alto Bonito.
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- The artist Vicky Fadul during the Casa Pintada workshop in Alto Bonito.
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- Casa Pintada workshop in Alto Bonito.
True to the goal of the activity, the teenagers joined in to beautify their shared community despite their different backgrounds. The Alto Bonito neighborhood is now full of color and new friendships.
For Esleide and Nelson, seeing what Casa Pintada did for their neighborhood sparked an idea to write a song that could spread a powerful message. “I was inspired to create the song about [Casa Pintada] because of the progress that was happening. I noticed the culture, the love that it gave to people and the participants.” Esleide said.
The two songwriters agree that the Blumont-led activity has changed Alto Bonito for the better. It has brought people together, allowed new community members to integrate more easily, and fostered a sense of mutual support among neighbors. “It has changed the lives of many,” Esleide added.
The sense of unity brought on by Casa Pintada was the main inspiration behind the boys’ song. By sharing their music, Esleide and Nelson hope to contribute something to their community as well.
Nelson is one of the young songwriters of the song “La Casa Pintada.” He is originally from Venezuela.
“The main message I want to spread is that everyone can support each other. With this song, I hope to bring life and culture to places that might have none,” Esleide said.
Esleide and Nelson both aspire to a career in music. Amidst displacement, conflict, and trauma, the boys’ resilience is what shines through in their songs.
“My hope for my future in music is to always keep going forward, never backward. If I fall, I will get up,” Esleide said.
“La Casa Pintada” isn’t just a song; it is a brushstroke in Alto Bonito’s evolving mural of hope, integration, and community.
