“Since I was about eight years old, I began to see the scourge of discrimination. I noticed that some children had more privileges and were the ones chosen for school events, and I realized it had to do with skin color. I realized we were in a society where discrimination and racism were present. That made me start to investigate how we are different. Later, at university, I encountered Afro-descendant identity. Who are we? Those of us descended from African peoples. What are the contributions of those peoples who came here? I was studying anthropology, and we realized that we had to create a movement because we are in a world where discrimination is on the rise.” (Anthropologist Omaira Gutierrez from Cumaná).
Because we want humanity to be more humane, we are pursuing the right that we all have, regardless of sex, age, skin color, or features, to contribute to that aspect of our Venezuelan identity.
We're making rag dolls of Marta Cumbale, a slave who escaped in 1813 and joined the patriots. We're working with our children to help them understand that freedom is something that is won and defended.
Here we fight against ethnic shame, the lack of recognition of who we are, against internalized racism.
Our rallying cry is to highlight the contributions of Africa in the Americas. Culture is everywhere: in the cuisine, in attitudes, in the visual arts, in music, in aesthetics, even in hair braiding. Behind it all lies the political and the ideological.
It's about making visible what remains invisible. We were led to believe that Blackness had no value. That's not by chance. Who said one thing is beautiful and another is ugly? We must break down the old paradigms that diminish Blackness.
Demand.
@lildelvalle
