IDENTIDADES 1 ENGLISH IDENTIDADES 1 ENGLISH | Page 25

Brazil: A Democratic Country for
Whom?

Race, class and gender in Cuba and the world

Simone Cruz
Psychologist, public health educator
Executive Secretary, Network of Organizations of Black Brazilian Women—
AMNB
Brazil

W

hat I propose to do in this short piece is to
provide a brief overview of the strategies
black women in Brazil have employed to
overcome their everyday difficulties and challenge
racism by becoming involved in public policy through
political organization.
There are currently 200 million people in Brazil. More

Training for women at Black Brazilian Women Articulation (AMNB), in the city of
Belén de Pará (Brazil’s northern region). Coordinated by Pará Center for the
Study and Defense of Blacks (CEDENPA), associated with AMNB
than 50% of the population identifies itself as black or

24

brown; in other words, more than half of Brazil’s population is black. This is easily observed when one
comes to our country.
We black Brazilians, the women and men who live
here, are present in all the country’s States and Municipalities, in each and every neighborhood. As far as
the female population is concerned, black women con-

stitute 49.72% of the population, according to 2010