Dany Borges, Priscila Gama and Meyrieli Carvalho are part of the institute Das Pretas, that organized a summer camp for Black children. Image via Black Women of Brazil
A summer camp is causing controversy on social networks. This is because it is geared toward crianças negras (Black children), and according to internet users, it would be segregating the races. The organization denies any kind of prejudice.
The questions started when the page Das Pretas (Of the Black Women), an institute that organized the event, said in a social networking event Quilombinho – Colônia de Férias Afrocentradas (Little Quilombo – African-centered summer camp).
In the posting, the phrase “São apenas 60 vagas gratuitas para crianças negras de 4 a 10 anos” (There are only 60 spaces free vacancies for black children from age 4 to 10),” sparked controversy.
“That made me angry because they were restricting an event for Black children and excluding other ethnic groups. At the time I thought, if I, as a white, do a summer camp for whites, this would become a scandal, I could even be arrested,” argued Beatriz Portanova, one of the internet users that questioned the disclosure on the social network.
Like Beatriz, other web users rebelled, saying the event was racist in preventing the participation of crianças brancas (white children). The restriction however, was denied by the organization, who has chosen to remove the word “negra” from the post.
“At no time was it said that it was an exclusive event for Black children, the fact that affirmative action is for Black people, doesn’t exclude the participation of other races. We tried to explain this in social networks, but people didn’t understand and we thought it would be better to remove the word ‘negra’ to avoid controversy,” said the President of the Das Pretas institute, Priscila Gama.
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