‘A breath of anti-racist hope’, say activists about Anielle Franco, future minister of racial equality

Mencius Melo – from Cenarium Magazine

MANAUS – Anielle Franco, sister of councilwoman Marielle Franco (PSOL), murdered in Rio de Janeiro and who became a symbol of social, racial and gender violence in Brazil, is the minister of racial equality. The announcement was made this Thursday, 22, by President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), in a press conference in Brasilia (DF). Anielle will have the mission to rebuild a portfolio that included names like the controversial Sergio Camargo, figuring in important posts such as the Palmares Foundation.

Marielle Franco’s sister is another female name to be part of Lula’s ministry. Her appointment was received with a sign of polarity change. The sociologist and professor of the Department of Social Sciences at the Federal University of Amazonas (Ufam), Luiz Antonio, made the following assessment: “The composition of the Lula Government is the result of the collective effort of many groups, political and social forces. It goes from the PSOL, through the MDB, going to the conservative forces, and the appointment of Anielle Franco is a sign that the government is issuing polarity change”, evaluated.

“We are leaving a violent, exclusionary, racist, sexist and aggressive government, with people like Sérgio Camargo, a racist black man who took over the Palmares Foundation, for a government that called on people of the level of Margareth Menezes, who is an incredible woman, called João Jorge, of Olodum, for the Palmares Foundation, who is an important fellow from Bahia. In other words, this is a government with a positive agenda, which indicates to society a change in management, and this is being observed by Europe, the US and the whole world, which is beginning to look upon us with favorable eyes. We will have another agenda”, pondered Luiz Antonio.

Women’s wing

Anielle Franco is part of President Lula’s political package, whose flagship issues are “inclusion and diversity”, concepts widely refuted by the last government. Women gained evidence when they were chosen for six strategic portfolios: Health, Management and Innovation, Science and Technology, Women, Culture and Racial Equality. Another 13 ministries are yet to be announced. Together with Margareth Menezes and Luciana Santos, Anielle Franco forms a core of black women with a history of political, cultural and social activism.

For Marklize Siqueira, a master in sociology, the appointment is something to celebrate. “Anielle Franco assuming this ministry is one of the most anti-racist decisions that the new government could take. It is opening the way for the construction of a Brazilian State that urgently needs to combat racism and build policies to combat inequality and the extermination of black people in the Brazilian peripheries. Without a doubt, this is a joy and a breath of hope for us antiracist activists”, he highlighted.

As a woman, the social scientist also approved the inclusion of other women in the command of the federal public machine in the Lula Government. “As an Afro-Amerindian woman I am very happy with the nominations. I am thrilled because this nefarious government of Jair Bolsonaro is coming to an end and the Brazilian people will be happy again”, said Marklize Siqueira.

Portion

In the analysis of the lawyer, journalist and activist of the black movement in Amazonas, Luciana Santos, the announcement of this Thursday, mainly, in relation to the name of Anielle, brings representativeness. “I believe that the first point to highlight is that Anielle has the face of the majority of the Brazilian population, who are women and black. And a part of the population that is the base of the social pyramid, the target of all inequalities, the result of racism, machismo and capitalism. This is extremely representative, even more so at the head of a portfolio that returns to the first level of the federal government”, says Luciana.

The activist also highlights Franco’s aptitude and curriculum focused on pluralist agendas. “In addition, the new minister has demonstrated her management capacity ahead of the Marielle Franco Institute, with actions to empower black and peripheral women. I cite, as an example, actions such as the Anti-Racist Platform in Elections, which supported black candidates, and the Marielles School project, with political training for black, peripheral and LGBTQIA+ girls and women”, praised Luciana Santos.

However, despite the number of women announced by Lula, Luciana believes that, mathematically, it is still not enough: “As for the total number of female ministers, I believe it was an advance, but it is still not enough to guarantee equality. As I said before, the Brazilian population is composed, in its majority, by women; so, the ideal is that the composition of the ministries reflects, as much as possible, this scenario”, pointed out the activist.

Background

Anielle Franco was born in Maré, a group of communities in the North Zone of Rio de Janeiro that until 1994 was considered a favela. With the urbanization, it is now considered a neighborhood. Anielle has a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and English from North Carolina Central University, a master’s degree in Journalism and English from Florida A&M University, and a master’s degree in Ethnic and Racial Relations from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ).

Today, Anielle Franco works as a teacher, lecturer, writer and is the current director of the Marielle Franco Institute – which promotes a series of activities for children, such as film clubs, conversation circles, storytelling workshops and book launches. She also runs the Marielles School and launched her first book entitled “Letters to Marielle”, a collection of texts by relatives on the experience of mourning for Marielle Franco.

About Marielle

Marielle Francisco da Silva served as a councillor in the Rio de Janeiro City Council, elected by the PSOL. Feminist, black woman and sociologist, mother of a little girl, she was assassinated at the age of 38 by gunfire in the car in which she was being transported, in the central region of Rio. The attack also took the life of Anderson Gomes, Marielle’s driver.

Franco was a parliamentary advisor to lawmaker Marcelo Freixo, took over the coordination of the Assembly’s Commission for the Defence of Human Rights and Citizenship. She worked in civil society organisations such as the Brazil Foundation and the Centro de Ações Solidárias da Maré (Ceasm).

To date, there has been no outcome to the investigations into Marielle’s death. Two former military police officers, Ronnie Lessa and Élcio de Queiroz, were singled out as the perpetrators and have been in prison for three years. The pair deny the charges.