The theme of my abroad program is Public Health, Race, and Human Rights. The past three weeks, we have spent a lot of time grappling with the idea of race, of how we identify ourselves, and of how that dictates our interactions with people in Bahia. One of the biggest challenges that I have had to work through is that in Brazil, race is defined as being phenotypical- people are classified and also choose to identify by the color of their skin. Brazil is a country where the majority of the population is Black. Before arriving, I knew that many people were of African descent and that Brazil had the highest concentration of Africans outside of Africa, but I did not know that this group made up a majority of the country- 97 million people to be exact. In Salvador specifically, 82% of people identify as “not white” according to the most recent census, meaning they either identify as being Preto (Black) or as Pardo (mixed race).
In Brazil, although Afro Brazilians are the majority, discrimination and inequality are prevalent. Race and social class are extremely intertwined in Brazil and the lower socioeconomic classes are made up predominantly of Afro Brazilians. Many advances have been made in the fight for equal rights for all Brazilians, but there is still a ways to go. Because of the connection between race and social class, the lighter your skin is, the more privileged you are perceived to be. The background of students on my program is extremely diverse: African American, Hispanic, White, Sri Lankan, and Indian. What we have learned in our 3 weeks here is that our different skin tones have, whether we want them to or not, places us into very specific racial categories here in Brazil. The racial makeup of Salvador especially has made us all very aware of the color of our skin. If I am just walking down the street or on the bus, my dark hair and facial features allow me to pass as a Brazilian. The interesting thing, however, is that because of my lighter complexion, I pass as a white Brazilian. Being classified by Afro Brazilians into a minority group of elite in Salvador can be a bit weird; my identity in Brazil is no longer tied to being Mexican American like it is in the US, but to having light skin and the privilege that gives me here.
Our academic director, after debriefing our first three weeks here, asked us a question: “Did you come to Brazil to fix something, or did you come to let Brazil shape you?” The Brazilian concept of race and identity reveals a lot about the history of the country: it shows the legacy that over 350 years of slavery has left, it shows how the Black movement has some uphill battles ahead, and it shows that the stereotypical images that most people have of Brazil- of football, Carnival, and happy people on beaches- is not the reality for the majority of people in Brazil. In order to get the most out of my time here, I need to set aside my own world view and preconceptions and understand the lenses through which Brazilians, especially Afro Brazilians, see the world. When I begin my research into health care systems, conduct interviews, and interact with people who have been marginalized in Salvador, I need to be sensitive of how race plays a very real factor in the kind and quality of access to healthcare people have. Instead of being uncomfortable with how Bahianos may initially view me because of my own skin color, I need to allow Bahia and its people to teach me things about myself. I need to embrace cultural differences and use this time to open my eyes even more to the world around me. My hope is that through my time in Bahia, I will gain a new understanding of my own identity and be exposed to questions that I have not yet had to wrestle with in the US. I hope to get a new perspective on the struggles that people who face inequality and racism confront every day. Brazil still has much to teach me, and I am open to learning. I am ready to let Brazil shape me in a way that only Brazil can. Three weeks down, twelve more to go, and I can’t wait for what they have in store.