We continue our dialogue with Afro-Brazilian political activist, Alex Alberto Santos de Jesus. De Jesus is from the city of Salvador, in a popular neighborhood called Souza Ouzel known as “13th Street”. He grew up learning about Black Brazilian identity, history and social struggles, through community organizations like the Steve Biko Institute.
Founded in 1992, Instituted Cultural Steve Biko has a pedagogy based on the Black Consciousness Movement work of South African Steve Bantu Biko in South Africa. Offering college predatory courses, STEM education, and political education- the institute is one of a kind in Brazil.
De Jesus credits the Biko Institute for the development of his political education. Today he is currently Director of the Department of Policies for People with Disabilities for the city of Lauro de Freitas, a city that borders Salvador.
AA: How can Black people in the United States be better allies in the Black Brazilian struggle?
AASJ: Much of the Black Brazilian community identifies with global black struggles. With the United States, we share a complex history of the development of race and society in the Americas. From the fight for civil rights, the Black arts movements, university quotas, and many intersectional class struggles. A lot of efforts are made to bring the voices of Black America to engage in dialogue with Black Brazilian communities. There is a research group at the local university called The Angela Davis Collective (O Coletivo Angela Davis) Among the group’s objectives include: Scholarly reflections on the intersectional implications of gender, race and class in sociocultural contexts.
The group also works to produce new theories of understanding how our societies systematically exclude Black women, sexual minorities and other groups and how this information can aid in resisting these structures.
We don’t often find opportunities for this type of engagement in the United States. Unfortunately, most Black Americans are unaware of the reality in Brazil. So there is an unnecessary imbalance in the way knowledge flows. Afro Brazilian intellectual and political voices are rarely heard.
AA: What can be done starting today to fix this imbalance and increase understanding?
AASJ: It’s important for us all to critically examine the investments that our countries have historically made in structural racism. You can start by taking advantage of technology. Use translation tools for websites and social media to read about Brazil directly from us. Follow outlets like @Afrotvbr and @revistaafrobrasil.
You can also follow the hashtag #VidasNegrasImportam(Black Lives Matter) on social media to stay linked. Most importantly, engage online with Afro Brazilians and with organizations who share your interests. Use Google Translate to help facilitate these conversations.
Donate to direct service organizations, Black labor unions and schools.
