happy black consciousness day, brazil!

Shout out to our friends in Brazil on this Black Consciousness Day! More than ever in the country, being Black and proud is an act of political defiance.

Black Consciousness Day has been celebrated since the 1960s and first signed into law by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in 2003. Under the law, education about Black history — particularly slavery — were made a required subject in the Brazilian education systems. During this time, Lula da Silva introduced the idea of Black Consciousness Day for everyone in the country to shed ignorant, anti-Black ideology and learn about their collective history. Traditionally this day is used to celebrate the regained awareness of Black heritage and being part of the African Diaspora in a country with a vicious history of miscegenation and erasure. Many proud Brazilians have reclaimed their heritage and are now celebrating their multicultural identities. Amen!