Black Women Against The Land Grab, By Keisha-Khan Perry

Confronting many challenges within the country of Brazil, Black women are taking the lead in grassroots movements against the government’s sexism, police brutality, and the wealthy elite and their gentrification programs. Keisha-Khan Perry exposes the inner working of these grassroots movements in the neighborhoods of Brazil in her book Black Women Against the Land Grab: The Fight for Racial Justice in Brazil. Global issues of gentrification are displayed in the battles of land grabbing and urban development plans specific to Brazil, highlighting the courageous women fighting the battle. Perry gives an example of the courage and determination to the women in Brazil in Chapter One of her book, showing a group of women standing in front of a

Focusing on Salvador a city within the state of Bahia, it has a population of over 3 million people which was previously the capital of Brazil and has many historical influences, such as it “…was the largest and most important port for the trafficking of Africans and other goods on the transatlantic trade route.” (pgs. 5,8). Importantly, Salvador is the most the largest Black population outside of Africa, and is 77 percent Black with 2.3 million Black residents, and is a major factor in determining the projection of living standards and conditions, that re cast in negative commentaries throughout the other parts of the country. (p. 7). This plays a significant role in the social and economic hierarchy as the idea of the country not being influenced by racial distinctions is contradicted by the actual living conditions of Afro-Cubans verses that of other ethnic groups. Although the country of Brazil fashions itself as a racial democracy, and promotes the Afro-Cuban culture through programs and tourism, very few Black have ascended to important government or corporate

8). Living in Detroit, Michigan I see the same struggles that are in Brazil and other cities around the world as being confronted with the same challenges of land grabbing. The element of race is an integral part of these nefarious programs as the land areas most desired are properties inhabited by people of color. Most of these residences have been established for generations, original inhabited by descendants of enslave Africans who garnered their freedom. And in some cases in urban areas whites fled these areas as soon as blacks stared to move in the communities. Perry, in her research postulates that the Black women in Brazil who are leading the charge against the land grabbing in their neighborhoods are not looked upon as leaders and some scholars have not even recognized the existence of any organized resistance to problems inherent in Brazil (pgs. 21-22,