November is black awareness month and, for the first time, Unicamp will hold the UnicampAfro, an event in which topics linked to the contribution of African culture to the formation of Brazil's identity will be discussed from a multidisciplinary perspective, in order to contribute to the fight against racism and the inclusion of the black population at the university.
The program was announced this Wednesday afternoon (9) in the auditorium of the Social Benefits Management Group (GGBS) from the Campinas campus. The launch was attended by the rector, Marcelo Knobel, the director of the Executive Directorate of Human Rights (DEDH) from Unicamp, Néri de Barros Almeida, and the president of the DEDH Ethnic-Racial Diversity Advisory Committee, Debora Jeffrey, as well as representatives from university centers and organizations that are partners in holding the event.
The official opening will be on November 1st, starting at 19pm, in the Noble Hall of the Faculty of Education (FE) and the first activity will be a conversation about how to think about education to combat discrimination and religious intolerance. The mediation will be by Airton Júnior, studying for a master's degree in Education at FE. The program continues until November 30th with cinema and arts exhibitions, cultural workshops, conferences and round tables, conversation circles, among other activities. They will take place on the Unicamp campus in Campinas, at CIS Guanabara and at OAB Campinas.
On November 20th, the Black Consciousness holiday, the organization invites everyone to participate in the Consciousness Race and Walk, an action carried out by Zumbi dos Palmares College, partner of UnicampAfro. It will be at Campo de Marte, in São Paulo, starting at 7am. In Campinas, there will be another edition of the Marcha Zumbi dos Palmares, a moment of union between the Núcleo Consciência Negra at Unicamp and other black movements in the city. The meeting is scheduled for 10 am at Estação Cultural Antonio da Costa Santos (formerly Estação Cultura).
The complete program can be seen at website from UnicampAfro. All activities are free and there is no need to register in advance.
Continuity of affirmative actions
The idea of bringing together all activities related to black consciousness in one major event emerged as a continuation and deepening of the affirmative actions carried out by the university since its inception. Implementation of the ethnic-racial quota system in the Unicamp entrance exam. The measure was applied for the first time in the 2019 edition of the test, which allocated 25% of vacancies to self-declared black and brown candidates. The creation of the Indigenous Entrance Exam also followed these actions, designed to increase diversity in the academic space.
However, for the inclusion of these students to occur fully, just access to university is not enough. Constant actions are necessary to allow them to fully feel integration. "There is no point in having diversity without having effective inclusion, without being able to effectively work on permanence, and much more serious issues linked to the racism that exists in society in general", pointed out rector Marcelo Knobel.
To this end, a series of public hearings were held to discuss with the university community the best ways to organize themselves to promote these actions. The proposals included the creation of the DEDH in March of this year and, in August, the Advisory Commission on Ethnic-Racial Diversity. "We think that UnicampAfro is a moment of reflection and, at the same time, insertion. And, on the other hand, a start of conversation to think about black people here at Unicamp and how we integrate with society", analyzed Debora Jeffrey, President of the Commission.
For Néri de Barros Almeida, director of DEDH, these are actions that indicate the university's maturity in these discussions. "I hope there is broad community involvement, that we begin to enter a more mature moment in the inclusion process, that we reflect on what it means for Unicamp to invest in quotas, for Unicamp to talk about diversity in depth ", he comments.
A month for the entire community
1st year Social Sciences student at Unicamp, Guilherme Antunes represented the Núcleo Consciência Negra (NCN) at the launch and highlighted the satisfaction of being able to participate in the organization right at the beginning of university life. Admission through ethnic-racial quotas in the 2019 Entrance Exam, he explained how much he hopes the program can also discuss the contributions of the black population not only to university culture, but also to science. "It is very important for us to show how we are going to move forward, from now on, to new parameters of culture and insertion of the black community within Unicamp. In addition to culture, epistemological issues. We are working on this in the Social Sciences, I am working with this perspective, and it is very important to show that, even though our African culture is more oral, we are able to produce science of the highest quality", reported Guilherme.
In addition to students and teachers, UnicampAfro intends to involve the entire university community. 32-year employee of the Biology Institute and director of the Unicamp Workers' Union (STU), Elisabeth Cardozo will be pleased to contribute her knowledge and experience. "It's going to be the happiest Black November of my life!", assured the employee.
Service
UnicampAfro - November 1st to 30th
Carried out: DEDH Ethnic-Racial Diversity Advisory Committee, Social Benefits Management Group (GGBS), Culture Directorate of the Dean of Extension and Culture (Dcult), Unicamp Teachers' Association (Adunicamp), Unicamp Workers' Union (STU), Unicamp Black Consciousness Center, Coletivo Conexão Preta Unicamp-Limeira/SP, Faculdade Zumbi dos Palmares.
Also follow the news on the UnicampAfro page on Facebook.
