Gloria Maria Matta da Silva, affectionately known as Gloria Maria, was born in Rio de Janeiro and was one of the most decorated journalists on Brazilian TV. Daughter of a tailor and a housewife, she studied in state colleges where she learned to speak several other languages, such as English, French and Latin.
On February 2, 2023, Gloria Maria died after being treated for lung cancer. She was diagnosed in 2019 and underwent several rounds of treatment. She left behind two daughters, Maria and Laura.
Glóra has been reporting on television since 1971. She soon became known for her reports exploring eccentric places, dynamic journalistic coverage and interviews with celebrities and personalities.
The journalist broke racial barriers when she was the first person to benefit from the Afonso Arinos Law, sanctioned in 1951, which criminalized racial discrimination. In 1970, at the beginning of her career, Glória was prevented from entering through the front door of a hotel in Rio de Janeiro by the manager of the establishment.
Among her notable interviews were the inauguration of Jimmy Carter in 1977 and the many interviews with heads of state during the Brazilian dictatorship. She is also remembered for slipping past security at the Olympic games to get an exclusive interview with sprinter Carl Lewis.
Glória traveled to more than a hundred countries. During her career, she interviewed international media personalities such as Michael Jackson, Madonna, Leonardo Di Caprio, Freddie Mercury, Nicole Kidman, among others.
In 2009, Glória Maria decided to take a sabbatical and dedicate herself to other projects. She volunteered in India and Nigeria, where she took care of the poor. During this time, she adopted her two daughters, Maria and Laura.
She was truly a trailblazing icon and will be missed by the Afro-Brazilian community and the diaspora at large.
