The objective of the program is to serve as an introductory course on ethnic-racial relations in Brazil, the impact of racialization on Black people in the Maré territory, race and representation, and other possibilities for generating mobilization and change around ethnic-racial relations in the 15 favelas of the Maré Complex. The program seeks to create multipliers who promote ethnic-racial awareness in the territory and its intersectional dimensions through increased critical awareness of racism, fostering changes in personal, professional, and community perspectives.
The first edition of the School was held in 2021 with students from CE Professor João Borges de Moraes, in a remote format due to the pandemic. In 2022, the second edition returned to an in-person format. Starting in 2023, the program began operating in the new Black House headquarters.
Classes last five months and are divided into the following modules:
- History of Brazil
- Race and Racism
- History of Maré
- Brazilian Black Movements
- Art and the Periphery
One of the central themes of the program is the process of displacement and community organization that gave rise to the Maré neighborhood, deepening the historical understanding of the territory. Students also participate in practical activities, such as text production, as well as the creation of flyers and booklets distributed to the local population.
In partnership with the Health Axis and Normal Space, the educational team also invests in raising awareness about the mental health of Black girls and boys from Maré.
The Racial Literacy School seeks to strengthen the trajectories of young Black residents of Maré through access to public policies and the job market.
Students receive a stipend to ensure the conditions necessary to remain in the course. They are also referred to other Redes da Maré projects, with a focus on guaranteeing basic rights.
The activities are carried out in coordination with partner institutions in the territory, residents' associations, public schools, government agencies, and civil society organizations.
Photos: Class of the Black House Racial Literacy School at the Lima Barreto Library building. Photo: Patrick Marinho.
