IDENTIDADES 1 ENGLISH IDENTIDADES 1 ENGLISH | Page 27

reducing illness and other health problems. All this,
despite the fact we have no racial quota system, although an affirmative action model has been gaining
visibility since the new millennium’s first decade and
was implemented throughout most of State’s university system. This has inspired numerous debates about
policies meant to guarantee that members of the black
population are able to take advantage of this competently. Notwithstanding, the afore-described, changing situation is due to the struggle of black Brazilian
men and women to their Movement, which has always
guided our different governments regarding the need
to act in a way that could be life-changing for Brazil’s
black population. This activism concerning the issue
of race in Brazil has been going on for the last thirteen
years.
The question is precisely whether or not Brazil is a
democratic country that also definitively accepts
there is racism in its society. If so, then where are the
racists? Upon ratifying the Declaration and Program
of Action adopted at the Third World Conference
Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia

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and Related Intolerance, Brazil publicly accepted
there was racism in its midst and committed itself to
taking actions that would eliminate racism in the
country. Black Brazilian women participated greatly
in this Congress.
The Articulação de Organizações de Mulheres
Negras Brazileiras (AMNB) was created from the union of various NGOs that were in the process of preparing for the Conference in Durban, in 2001. Its initial goal was to facilitate the participation of women
in that space. After the Conference, the AMNB became institutionalized and focused its actions on monitoring the implementation of the commitments made
in Durban, actions capable of challenging the racism,
sexism and homophobia present in Brazil’s social and
political relations. In this sense, strategies involving
joining and remaining involved with organisms like
the National Council for the Rights of Women, Health
Care and Racial Equality are of essential importance
to guarantee that the subject of race and gender remains part of public policy in Brazil and beyond.