We are one step closer to making history by rebuilding the connections between the children of Africa separated and spread out between the United States and Brazil. This is the ultimate objective for Atlantic Archives.
With the platform that The Hub.news, Karen Hunter, and the family at Knubia have given me- I can share critical information about the lives of Black people in Brazil. Not only the rich culture and beauty it’s globally known for, but also the historic struggle for true citizenship against an unparalleled system of racial oppression. The most important part of this platform is to bring as much of this information as possible to you- directly from the people.
I’m taking this to the next level, by bringing a group of Afro Brazilians to the United States to speak directly with groups of students, activists, artists, educators, civil servants and working-class communities.
We are doing this with the help of our latest partnership with The Imperative Fund. This innovative philanthropy is founded and led by a duo of Black foundation professionals who want to change the landscape of giving throughout the Black diaspora.
The Imperative is solely focused on promoting the “Wealth, Health and Connectedness of Black people.” In 2019, Founders Alexandra Bastien and Ade Oguntoye began their goal to establish a permanently endowed fund to make strategic investments that improve wealth and health while increasing the social and economic ties of Black people globally.
At the launch of the Imperative in 2021, Bastien explained: “Those who understand equity understand that the people closest to the problem are the ones closest to the solutions…
We are proposing that we use capital to wield people into decisions in the interest of our collective well-being. The way to do that is to start at the root… We believe that there must be permanent, meaningful capital operating for the sole purpose of promoting the well-being of Black people.
…Our commitment is to do the following: A) we will raise and deploy capital to invest in Black leaders, B) we will establish an endowment to ensure long-term leadership and investment in the wealth, health, and connectedness of Black communities, and C) we will make grants to nonprofits and invest in social enterprises to catalyze ethical wealth creation, improve health outcomes and increase social, economic and cultural ties among Black people throughout the U.S., Africa, and the Diaspora.
We are making a major call to leaders with capital to invest in Black leadership for the long haul. The Imperative is not a two-year or five-year commitment. This is not about creating programs that simply circle around the truth at hand while avoiding investing in solutions. This is not even just for the sake of subduing white supremacy, it is quite literally for the sake of protecting and improving our ever-more global society.“
We are thrilled to be chosen as their latest partnering organization.
This partnership allows us to have a greater platform to raise support for our movement to connect the diaspora through working-class dialogues and community archives.
As an incubator for grassroots archives in Brazil, Atlantic Archives’ two programs, Mochileiros Arquivistas (Backpack Archivists) and the Lelia Gonzalez Fellowship, recruit, train, and mentor Afro Brazilians from marginalized communities in an extensive set of technical and organizational competencies to create and operate archival institutions. After creating their institutions, they are connected with a diverse transnational network of related communities and institutions.
With The Imperative serving as the fiscal sponsor and advocate, we are fundraising for our upcoming historical community movement, The Lelia Gonzalez Fellowship (LGF).
LGF equips three Black women and gender-expansive people to strengthen and expand the Atlantic Archives network through campus and community tours and public engagement. This diverse group of artists, scholars and activists will travel to the US as cultural ambassadors to engage in dialogue with various communities.
The topics and events are co-created between the host groups and Atlantic Archives. We will cover important subjects like women’s health, labor movements, mutual aid, political action, education, Black spiritual practices, family, LGBTQ, media activism, etc..)
Our primary goal is to begin building an international network of intersectional, community-oriented, and working class-oriented movements. This first step, through the Gonzalez Fellowship, allows communities across the United States to learn about the reality of Black Brazilians from their own voices.
The tour will include an exhibition of art and lectures from the Atlantic Archives. We will also be documenting the fellowship trip and producing a film and textbook to share our lessons with others.
Why we need your help
Giving to our fellowship program is an important way to support this generation of Afro-Brazilian leaders. Brazil has the largest population of Black people. In spite of this, Afro Brazilians face record high levels of inequality resulting in marginal support for education, health, or workforce development.
These inequalities impact Black women and gender-expansive people the most. Those who pursue higher education struggle to finish or have their knowledge seen and shared.
Together we can change this.
How can I help?
There are several ways to get involved.
If you would like to donate directly to Atlantic Archives you can do so through The Imperative.
If you represent a group or organization that believes in Black diasporic principles and wants to support this international dialogue, you can email me directly at Smiles4@tulane.edu for a sponsor information pack and application.
Join us on our community dialogue tour by hosting a:
- Public event
- Campus visit
- Salon talk
- Art exhibit
- Teach-in
- Media interview
We are looking for hosts and supporters in the forms of:
- Fraternities/sororities
- Grassroots community organizations
- Arts organizations, museums, etc.
- University Departments (LATAM Studies, History, Africana Studies, International Studies, etc.)
- HBCUs
- Spiritual/Religious orgs
- Heritage organizations
- Grade Schools/ Charter Schools
- Women’s Health organizations
- LGBTQ organizations
You can also support through word of mouth. Help us to build more followers by sharing our information on social media and with potential partners and sponsors. We are also seeking in-kind support from travel and tech businesses to assist us in our journey. If you have a connection with:
- Outfitters like REI, North Face, Patagonia, etc.
- Black travel and outdoors groups
- Social media and tech: TikTok, VSCO, Flickr, Youtube, GoPro, etc.
Hook us up!
