Brazil – The Society of Jesus holds the 1st National Afro Brazil SJ Meeting in Fortaleza
The First National Afro Brazil - SJ Meeting took place in Fortaleza (CE) between 21 and 23 October, a critical moment for discussing developments in the collective construction of antiracist actions in Jesuit works, besides strengthening the Afro Brazil SJ Articulation and its organisational and strategic identity.
The activity included presentations of the Articulation's journey, listening to experiences of black people in the institutions of the Society of Jesus, and rounds of conversation, among other themes and projects for the year 2023.
Social educator and human rights activist, Father Clóvis Cabral, says the experience enriches black people to define their places of speech and to reaffirm their blackness in God's call within the works of the Church. "For me, it is a great joy to participate in this First Afro Brazil - SJ Meeting because it indicates that we are on the right track. It is very nice to see that each of us, members of this Articulation, has grown in appreciation of our blackness, affirming our blackness as a gift from God and understanding the process of maturation and growth of black women and black men," he asserts.
Valdenice José, a doctor in social service and member of the Afro-Brazilian and indigenous study group of the Catholic University of Pernambuco, reports that this Articulation, together with other people in work, is necessary for thinking about the impacts of racism throughout society.
"Black people have their subjectivities completely affected by racism, which strongly impacts the lives of black women in Brazilian society. Furthermore, black women bear the burden of raising their children in a racist country. Therefore, this meeting invites people to understand that racism is unacceptable because it is perverse and wounds all humanity's principles, " explains Valdenice.
The meeting is the first of forthcoming face-to-face meetings of the Articulation to affirm one's blackness and the processes of resistance, roots, and transformations to be carried out, especially about how much we can learn and grow with these studies within the Jesuit Province in Brazil. Therefore, Afro Brazil - SJ arises to affirm the place of speech and listening to black people and to build a more inclusive, diverse and fair present and future concerning ethnic-racial issues within the Society of Jesus.
Check out the photos of the meeting!
Source : Olmoa.org
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