Brazil's July 'Julho das Pretas' mobilizes events honoring Black women and heritage

Throughout July, a nationwide mobilisation called "Julho das Pretas" has organised a series of events across Brazil to mark the International Day of Black Latin‑American and Caribbean Women on 25 July. In Santos, the Copire coordinated a free guided visit to the historic Quilombo do Pai Felipe, highlighting the legacy of ex‑enslaved leader Pai Felipe. In Cotia, the municipal Secretariat of Women, Human Rights and Neurodiversity held two free discussion circles featuring capoeira, congada and Afro‑Brazilian art. Municipalities such as Poços de Caldas (MG) and the Tribunal of Justice of Bahia hosted talks, cultural performances and legal panels under themes like “Our voice shatters the mask of silence”. The OAB of Paraná held a virtual conference with judges and scholars, recalling pioneering figures such as Esperança Garcia, recognized as Brazil’s first Black female lawyer. Organisers repeatedly invoked historic icons Tereza de Benguela and Conceição Evaristo to stress the continuity of Black women’s struggle for equality, food security and political participation. Federal policies under President Lula – including minimum‑wage protection, salary‑equality legislation and social‑transfer programmes – were cited as supporting the broader fight against poverty, racism and gender disparity. The coordinated activities, spanning cultural, educational and judicial spheres, aim to raise visibility of Black women’s contributions and to press for deeper institutional reforms.