THAINÁ SAGRADO SAID: "I’m tired of being the only black woman in Curitiba.".

I’m from São Paulo but I’ve lived in Curitiba, Parana for six years. The process of my self-discovery as a black woman happened during the time when I had already been living in Curitiba and it was very painful, because in this process we try to find ourselves, to see ourselves represented, and in this city there exists a glaring form of black negation.  “There are no blacks in the South?” “You’re the only black person that I know here!” “Curitiba is european. There’s only Polish and Dutch immigrants.” … All of this self-reconstruction, made me not give up on finding myself here, and guess what I discovered? Blacks also built this city and there are historic buildings here made by them. The Rebouça brothers  were responsible for the Estrada da Graciosa, and it’s this highway that made possible the transition and commercialization of mate (the herb) and lumber. I’M TIRED OF BEING THE ONLY BLACK PERSON IN CURITIBA! Black Curitiba exists! And it’s beautiful and expressive.  Just stop!