RUDMIRA SAID: "I’m tired of explaining that Africa is a continent".

Well, in 4 years of living here in Brazil, I realize that people know nothing about Africa, or almost nothing. The level of ignorance is so high just as is the prejudice and xenophobia that they have about the continent and all that pertains to it, even when dealing with positive things they tend to marginalize and demonize them.

The misinformation that Africa is a continent makes these same people reduce it to a small country where in their “common sense” vision, we live in small tribes and the population are all cannibals. In this thinking comes prejudiced questions that in every way offends and revolts us. And with patience, I respond and explain in an educated manner what Africa is, what it’s made of, it’s way of life in a general way, even though I don’t know everything about all that is there. But in four years, this tires you out, takes a lot of patience to endure so much stupidity amidst the stew of biases and air of superiority. On the other hand, even the mass media that is said to be serious and well-positioned in the international market and therefore “informed,” when they would note something about African immigrants in Brazil, it’s difficult for them to say what nationality they are, only calling them Africans. As if African were a nationality.