Check out the black column at the top

Published on 07/19/2021 9:29 PM / Updated on 07/19/2021 9:30 PM

(Credit: Talita de Souza / Esp.CB / DA Press)

The future of labor relations, the fight against climate change, and the urgent need to adopt equity measures are among the current big dilemmas. No wonder, they are part of the agenda for the summit of the Group of Twenty, a group formed by the world’s largest economies. The leaders of these countries will not be alone at the October meeting. They will get advice from a delegation made up of expressive leaders as well. On the table will be a Letter of Recommendations from Youth 20 (Y20), a youth-led meeting to propose solutions to address major global challenges.

Three women have been chosen to represent Brazil in this initiative, whose crucial meetings begin tomorrow. Amanda Costa, Giuliana Dejani and Lara Martins also make up an unprecedented composition for the Brazilian delegation at Y20: it’s the first time the group has consisted exclusively of black women – debuting in 2011.

There was no pre-set profile for forming this year’s delegation, says Rodrigo Reyes, executive director of the Global Attitude Institute, the organization that selects participants. Out of more than 150 candidates, those selected stood out in the established criteria. “It is a very happy choice on our part, we can give a voice to black women in international spaces. They represent a face of Brazil that should be more present in these scenarios.”

According to Reese, the distinctive profile of the trio also draws attention. “We have three excellent delegates, with a alignment in different areas of expertise, making them complementary. There is the pluralism we are looking for. He has given us this fortune. Get to know the members of the Brazilian G20 councils.”

Amanda Costa, 24 years old

Amanda Costa made her climate activism debut in 2017, when she represented Brazil at the climate conference, COP, in Germany. The experience was crucial. “I thought that to participate in these events I had to be older, rich, and have a postdoc. I was the opposite: I was in the beginning of science, working as a travel group. But when I saw that I could work with decision makers, I determined that this was the What I want in my life.”

Since then, the curriculum of the student born in São Paulo who graduated in international relations from Anhembi Morumbi University has gained important positions, such as that of young ambassador to the United Nations. The experience at Y20 is used to further the mission of democratizing social and environmental agendas. I want to train other young people from the parties to fill these places. If they don’t give us opportunities, let’s create. Understand our tools, communicate with strategic agents and get our hands dirty,” he says.

Climate education is one of the topics Amanda has been championing among delegates from other countries. “There is no point in thinking that young people will look proactively to sustainable development. This view needs to start from the bottom, and be part of the curriculum,” he justifies.

Juliana Degani, 21 years old

Upon entering the University of São Paulo (USP) to study international relations, in 2018, Giuliana Degani missed a space to discuss issues related to blackness. Then she and two co-workers created Lilia Gonzalez, a group that was invading spaces outside the student scene.

The initiative is part, for example, of the Redes & Raízes Project, a United Nations fund to promote resilience and activity skills among black youth. “With the group, I gained experience and regional performance and began to realize that I could also make a difference in other scenarios,” he says.

The international shift came with Y20, where Juliana dedicates herself to discussing topics focused on inclusion. “My role as a delegate is to take on the Brazilian reality. If we are talking about equal access to technology, we should also think about getting electricity, which is a challenge here and in other countries,” he explains. The flagship of the university is the eradication of poverty while taking into account urban and rural characteristics. He bets that “we can overcome these divisions with innovation and cooperation.”

Lara Martins, 29 years old

Specializing in Project Management from PUC-Rio and a graduate in Advertising and Entrepreneurship from the same institution, Lara is a communications expert. I left, for example, a stock exchange in Spain in 2014, full of connections and ideas about conscious consumption. Since 2020, he has run, in Brazil, a global movement of people using business to build a more inclusive and renewable economy: the B.

The idea is to explore this same skill in Y20. “I am detailed, thinking global and working locally. I think it is important to make recommendations and give what is good there to do here,” says the 2019 winner of the Young Valuable Leaders Award, an award created by Harvard Business Review Brazil and Eureca, a consulting firm that evaluates young leaders.

One of Lara’s suggestions at Y20 is to favor literature that focuses on digital. He justifies “people weren’t literate to use the apps”. Discussions already held with other delegates indicate that she is not alone in her projects. “The most important feature of these exchanges is knowing that although oceans keep us apart, we live and struggle for often similar reasons.”

the Olympics

Repair times…

The Brazilian delegation to the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo had only one representative: Aida dos Santos. At 27, she arrived at the competition with no money, no coach, no uniform, and full of reputation. While playing pole vault matches, he heard from the stands that his place was in the kitchen, he said. When he won fourth, he gave his message: “I took the mic and said my place is in the kitchen, in the bedroom, and also on a sports field.” Now, 57 years later, another victory has been added to Aida’s story. Centauro created the uniform that she should have worn in competitions. At the age of 84, carioca received the cut at the Engenhão athletics track, in Rio de Janeiro. The collection, according to Aida, “changed the ending of one story and the beginning of many others.” The delivery of the pieces was captured and made into a movie called The Uniform That Never Exists.

…and a controversial decision

Also in Tokyo, the Olympics that will start this month have already included, among the controversies, a ban on the use of swimming caps made for athletes with thick and afro-haired hair. According to Soul Cap, which makes this type of sports cap, the International Swimming Federation (FINA) has not approved the product for use in international competitions, claiming that it “does not follow the natural shape of the head.” The decision had bad repercussions, and Veena announced that she would review it “to understand the importance of inclusion and representation.” Among the swimmers planning to wear the special hat is Alice Dearing (pictured), from the United Kingdom. Hopefully, from here, a less time-consuming fix.

Involved

Trainee at L’Oreal

L’Oréal Brasil launched its apprentice program this year – and for the first time, 50% of job openings are for black professionals. Those interested must have graduated between July 2018 and July 2021, with a Technologist, Bachelor’s or Leave degree, and register, by Friday, on the website https://traineeloreal.ciadetalentos.com.br/ . Those selected will work in São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro, with access to international experiences. Relying on guidance from company executives from the first month of operation and a personal improvement plan is also part of the attractions.

enjoy

A festival celebrating the Black Rising

The 14th edition of the Latin American Festival of Latinidas, the largest black women’s festival in Latin America, begins on Thursday. The subject of this issue is the black ascent. The honored are singer and violinist Bahia Rosa Passos, artist Zizi Mota (photo), Afro-Peruvian music activist Susana Baca, and Costa Rican Vice President Epsy Campbell. For the second year in a row, the event will be entirely online, broadcast on the YouTube platform on the Afrolatinas channel. Concerts, panel discussions, workshops, pocket shows, and film screenings are part of four days of project programming, which is based on arts, culture, dialogues, and controversial narratives and promotes different knowledge of black women. Check out the full schedule on the website https://afrolatinas.com.br/

A musical movie that tells the story of a zombie

The Cooxia collective channel presents the children’s musical Zumbido for free, about Zumbi dos Palmares. The play tells the experiences of Fleur, a girl who meets the leader of Quilombola through stories told by her mother. The plot revisits African culture, bringing, for example, aspects of Bantu traditions, and also highlights Brazilian artistic expressions, such as samba culture, funk and hip-hop. You can watch the musical until the 25th, accessible in pounds, on Cooxia’s YouTube channel