July 25 was designated as the Day of Afro-Latino-American and Caribbean Women at the 1st Meeting of Afro-Latino-American and Afro-Caribbean Women in 1992, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, where the Network of Afro-Latino-American and Afro-Caribbean Women was also created. The date is recognized by the United Nations (UN).
In Brazil, the date is celebrated as National Day of Tereza de Benguela and Black Woman, in reference to the quilombola leader who lived during the 18th century in the Quilombo do Quariterê (currently the border between Mato Grosso and Bolivia). She became the leader of the quilombo, where the black and indigenous community resisted slavery for two decades. Tereza commanded the political, economic, and administrative structure of the quilombo.
In Rio Grande do Sul, Law 16.150/2024 established July 25 as Tereza de Benguela State Day for Black, Latino-American, and Caribbean Women. According to deputy Bruna Rodrigues, “the project speaks to the necessity of honoring and celebrating the existence and resistance of black women in Rio Grande do Sul. Women who have never felt represented or honored with the same relevance they have dedicated their lives to our state.”
The life stories and struggles of black women are highlighted on this date. It is not merely a day of celebration; it is a day when black women come together to denounce all forms of inequality, inequity, violence, and segregation they suffer in their daily lives.
The intersection of being a woman, a gender that already suffers from the effects of a patriarchal society, combined with belonging to a historically oppressed segment of the population due to race, places black women in an especially vulnerable situation.
Vilma Piedade, a black intellectual, uses the term “dororidade” to name the complicity among black women, as there is pain that only they know. The term “sorority,” derived from the Latin term “sóror,” sister, signifies a relationship of solidarity, complicity, and care among women. It is widely used in feminism, but it does not encompass the entire experience lived by these women in their historical existence.
In Rio Grande do Sul, according to the National Continuous Household Sample Survey (PNAD) conducted by IBGE in 2021, 13.9% of women identified as brown and 5.9% identified as black, making up 19.8% of women identifying as black in our state. Despite this, the lack of representation of black women in public spaces is evident, which is one of the reasons this segment has organized in order to seek recognition of their role and social place.
In the Public Defender’s Office of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, the proper representation of these women within the institution’s ranks has been a goal since the implementation of the racial quota policy in 2014. In the last competition, completed in 2022, three black women joined the career.
“On this date, attention turns to the importance and role that black women play in society. As Angela Davis said: ‘when the black woman moves, the entire structure of society moves with her.’ That is, we are a fundamental and structuring part of society because we are at the base of the social pyramid. We are historically forged in struggle, but also in dreaming. The day that pays tribute to Tereza de Benguela, Carolina de Jesus, Marielle Franco, to my mother, my grandmother, my companions, and my ancestors, brings light to the need to honor the history of those who paved the way for us to pass and for us to occupy such important spaces of voice today, like this one. Let us always remember the base to continue paving the way and bring along each of our own.” – Roberta Netto Ferreira Costa, public defender.
“This is a significant date that celebrates the strength, resilience, and contribution of black women throughout history. This day invites us to reflect on ancestry and the cultural roots that shape our identity, highlighting the importance of recognizing and valuing our stories and struggles. Occupying positions of power is an important way to show society the strength, capacity, and resistance that
we possess. In this space, we crown the struggle of our ancestors and pave the way for many other women to do the same. There is still a chasm when it comes to female representation, especially for black women, in decision-making positions, but today we already have something to celebrate. Celebrating the Day of Afro-Latino-American and Caribbean Women is, therefore, an invitation to reflect on the importance of the fight against racism, female empowerment, and the appreciation of diversity. It is a moment to honor the ancestors who fought for rights and dignity, and to support the new generations in their quest for equality and justice. That we may learn from history, celebrate victories, and continue the fight for a more inclusive and representative future for all women.” – Alessandra dos Santos Pereira, public defender.
“The establishment of a day to celebrate Afro-Latino-American and Afro-Caribbean women is particularly relevant, given the specificities and pluralities involving us women. It is an opportunity to highlight the experiences of Brazilian women and promote a decolonial front by breaking the barriers of Eurocentrism and culturally valuing our place of existence.
But beyond having a day to celebrate, it is necessary to critically reflect on the way we women are treated in various aspects of life and daily life.
At this point, there is an indispensable recognition of the intersectionality and transversality of elements that shape and mold the life of Afro-Latino-American women, in which we can also insert a regionalized perspective, as being a black woman is full of challenges, but being a black Latina from the south of the country adds challenges that are unknown to black women in Europe, for example.
Each experience of a woman is unique, but at the same time, it is permeated by characteristic and very marked traits of the spectrum in which she is situated, as for us black women who, according to health area research, are subjected to obstetric violence in numbers much higher than white women. Perhaps stemming from a social construction of strength arising from the slave period, where black women were forced to offer their bodies for work, both domestic and external.
In 2010, a survey conducted by the Perseu Abramo Foundation brought data regarding the racial focus of obstetric violence, revealing that during childbirth care, women who suffered the most obstetric violence were black women, with a proportion of 43% (14% black and 29% brown) compared to white women, who accounted for 24% of cases.
Additionally, the survey ‘Born in Brazil’ (2011-2012) provided information that black women have a 62% higher chance of inadequate prenatal care, 23% lack of linkage to maternity care, 67% absence of a companion during childbirth, and 33% pre-labor wandering.
Such data demonstrate a sad and still latent reality: black women are more often victims of various forms of violence (and in the case presented, obstetric violence) than white women. Thus, a specific day on the annual calendar dedicated to Afro-Latino-American women allows focused attention and careful observation on this portion of the population, and enables the consideration, planning, and application of policies to confront the various forms of violence experienced, including ensuring the protection of their fundamental rights that are constantly violated.” – Reyjane de Oliveira Muniz, public defender.