Walking through rural schools and urban parks in Colombia, multimedia chronicler Juan David Rangel Gil examines state violence, gender, and cultural memory while building narratives rooted in local communities.
- Juan David Rangel Gil works as a multimedia chronicler, documentarian, and cultural manager focused on social mobilization in Colombia.
- He studied Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, and gained early experience with Mission Local in San Francisco.
- Based in Palmira, Colombia, he collaborates with Baudó Agencia Pública, the Chagra Network of Storytellers, and A Todo Pulmón.
Rangel Gil earned his degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of California, Berkeley, where he also investigated digital leadership and impact cinema. He began his practical reporting career producing video reports for the San Francisco publication Mission Local. After completing his studies abroad, he returned to Colombia with the explicit goal of weaving connections across local environments.
Upon returning to Colombia, Rangel Gil expanded his scope through active partnerships with Baudó Agencia Pública and the Red de Narradores Chagra, a storyteller network he joined. Earlier in his career, he explored alternative storytelling methods alongside Patata Caricaturas, recognized as the country’s first caricature-focused media outlet, and the specialized non-fiction film magazine La Pesadilla de Nanook.
As creative director for A Todo Pulmón, he coordinates a cartographic laboratory where dissident poetry emerges through altars and performances celebrating queer aesthetics. Working across photographic, audiovisual, and sound formats, he incorporates researcher Ángela Garcés Montoya’s premise of “saber comunicarse,” which prioritizes conversation and breathing alongside other living beings to restore mutual connection.
When approaching social mobilizations or community aspirations, Rangel Gil strips away preconceived certainties to investigate the idea that physical distance acts as a mere illusion. Operating from his base in Palmira, Colombia, his narrative projects deliberately dismantle strict dichotomies while balancing delicately between public and private spheres.
