Representative of the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB) in Campinas, Dr. Ademir José da Silva actively participated in the Working Group that resulted in the creation of the Center for Afro-Brazilian Studies (Neab), an organization with which he continues to collaborate as a member of the Superior Council.
Silva also chairs the Truth Commission on Black Slavery in Brazil and the Commission on Law and Religious Freedom at the OAB Campinas. He is also part of movements to redefine historical spaces associated with slavery, such as the work of the Casa de Cultura Fazenda Roseira, now run by the Jongo Dito Ribeiro group.
In an interview, the lawyer considers that his history of struggle “intertwines with the history of the university”, even though he did not study at Unicamp. Silva was prominent in some of the main initiatives related to black movements in the academic community, such as the creation of the Afro-Brazilian Studies Group (Geab), the precursor of Neab, in 1987.
Check out the interview:
Neab – What is the significance of the inauguration of the Center for Afro-Brazilian Studies (Neab) at Unicamp?
Dr. Ademir José da Silva - For me, Neab is like the baobab, a centuries-old African tree that symbolizes resistance and longevity. Its inauguration is the physical and material result of the struggle of all those who came before us and who, in one way or another, symbolically spread the seeds of this baobab, which has been formally and permanently registered in the administrative structure of Unicamp. It represents an essential connection between the university and the majority of the Brazilian population, made up of blacks, blacks and mixed race people, who make up 56%, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). In addition, it expands opportunities for interaction with the African continent in the development of research, exchanges and partnerships.
Neab – How did you perform in the Working Group regarding the creation of Neab?
Dr. Ademir José da Silva - I had the opportunity to actively participate in the realization of the dream of creating a robust and institutionalized body within the structure of Unicamp. For me, it was an extraordinary experience. Now, as a member of the Neab Board of Directors, I remain committed to contributing. The expectations regarding the future of the center are the best possible, in the sense of providing support and continuity to previous initiatives in the areas of arts, culture and education, and, from now on, enabling intersection with all fields of activity of the university.
Neab – Tell us a little about your journey in activism and at Unicamp.
Dr. Ademir José da Silva - My struggle is intertwined with the history of the university. In the late 1970s and in the following decades, black students would gather at the Machadinho Club, which I presided over at the time, a leisure and cultural venue for the black community located in Vila Industrial. Black students from Unicamp would come there, mostly foreigners, Africans from the black diaspora, as well as the occasional Brazilian postgraduate student. I remember the late professor Jonas Romualdo and professor João Vilhete, students at the time, professors Raquel Trindade and Inaicyra Falcão, who worked at the Institute of Arts (IA), and professor Lucila Bandeira, who coordinated the Afro-Brazilian Studies Group (Geab) at the Memory Center, of which I was one of the founders, in 1987. I also had the opportunity to form partnerships with Unicamp as director of the Black Community Council Delegation in Campinas and the Region, when we developed, in partnership with the Faculty of Education (FE), a pioneering course called “Black People and Education in the State of São Paulo”.
Neab – What key moments in this story would you highlight?
Dr. Ademir José da Silva - An unforgettable event was the celebration of the centennial of the abolition of slavery, organized in 1988 by Geab. Called “Kizumba Unicamp”, it was an extraordinary activity that brought together great names, such as Martinho da Vila and many other leading figures, including the then president of Mangueira. Lectures, presentations and celebrations were held that marked the history of the university and are recorded in the Unicamp Memory Center.
Neab – More broadly, how do you assess the role of universities and academia in promoting anti-racism and valuing Afro-Brazilian culture?
Dr. Ademir José da Silva - I consider it extremely important. The initiatives that aim to meet the demands of black social movements and organized civil society for almost half a century are salutary, pointing out the prevailing inequality in Brazilian society and, consequently, also in educational institutions, which goes against the material equality proposed by the Federal Constitution of 1988 and the Statute of Racial Equality of 2010. That said, the creation of Neab represents a step forward, including the fact that it was structured in such a way as to encompass all branches of science, with an innovative perspective for Unicamp.
Article originally published on the website of the Center for Afro-Brazilian Studies.
