Note from BW of Brazil: Well I’m quite sure all three of these Brazilians must be pretty excited right about now! Actor couple Lázaro Ramos, wife Taís Araújo and Feira Preta‘s creator, Adriana Barbosa, have been featured numerous times over the years here at Black Women of Brazil, so naturally, with this story, they HAVE to be featured here again. I remember the euphoria of Afro-Brazilians shortly after the then Senator Barack Obama was elected to his first of what would be two terms as the first black president of the United States back in November of 2008.
Attending the Troféu Raça Negra award show of that year, I felt the excitement in the air as I spoke to people such as singer Paula Lima, politician Benedita da Silva, rapper Rappin’ Hood and several others about what they thought a black president of the world’s only super-power would mean for black Brazilians. Pride, hope, and inspiration were some of the terms I heard throughout that night. Traveling to the United States, Lázaro Ramos and Taís Araújo were among the tens of thousands of people that observed the inauguration of Obama in Washington DC in January of 2009. Since that time, they’ve gone on the become the most prominent black couple in Brazil.
Adriana Barbosa has got plenty to be proud of herself. She created the largest black cultural event in Latin America, Feira Preta, about 17 years ago and is one of the main reasons that Afro-Brazilian entrepreneurship and the concept of “black money” has exploded over the past decade. I’m not much on politicians as my view on them are quite pessimistic and, in my opinion, the adoration of someone like Obama simply adds more sugar to the Kool Aid of “deception punch” that black folks are served every day. Nonetheless, hobnobbing with Obama will certainly provide memories for these three for years to come. And they must know that they will represent millions of Afro-Brazilians when that day arrives later this month. Congrats to all three of them!
Actor couple Lázaro Ramos, wife Taís Araújo and Adriana Barbosa of Feira Preta (Black Expo) are the three Brazilians are among 100 most influential blacks in the world! They will be among a select group who will dine with Barack Obama in New York on September 26th.
By Denise de Almeida
Brazil has won three names on the list of 100 most influential blacks in the world. The actor couple Lázaro Ramos, wife Taís Araújo and Adriana Barbosa, founder of Feira Preta, are now invited to the gala dinner of the award with Barack Obama, former American president.
The Mipad 100 (“Most Influential People of African Descent”) elects a total of 200 names of people up to 40 years old: 100 from the African continent and 100 from other countries.
Taís, Lázaro and Adriana appear in the Media and Culture division of the award, alongside personalities like Beyoncé, Rihanna, Serena Williams, Usain Bolt, LeBron James, Lewis Hamilton and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, totaling 51 names.
The award is further divided into three other areas: politics and administration; business and entrepreneurship; and religious and humanitarian.
The gala dinner will be held in New York on September 26.
Crowd funding for dinner with Obama
For Adriana to be able to participate in the great event, the organizers of the Feira Preta (Black Expo), chosen for the award as “biggest Afro festival”, created a fund raiser. The goal is to raise R$ 9 thousand, a little less than US$3,000.
In two days, the project got almost half the value. Until the closing of this report, 28 contributions totaled more than R$4,300.
On her Facebook page, Adriana, in addition to requesting the contribution, thanked her supporters: “This walk is not only mine; it’s of all the people who helped build the 16 years of all the actions of Feira Preta. The family, friends, partners, collaborators, volunteers, suppliers, artists, exhibitors, companies and the public who believed and helped build all those years of history.”
Source: UOL Estilo
Sounds good!!! However, BET a broadcast station, one of a few that shows programming about African/American Culture frequently have entertainment/awards shows honoring blacks in music, academia, civil rights etc. In addition, once a year, black organizations dealing in civil rights come together to discuss: Progress with black Americans and abroad…mainly though Domestic issues. Several prominent persons are on a panel discussing problems and resolutions. Generally, nothing gets done; there is no follow up.
My point: Is this meeting with past president Obama, another “show off” about what a few have accomplished? African peoples on planet Earth has a [Lot of Catching Up To Do] The continent of Africa is “3rd World”. African States are not sufficiently Industrialized and have been unable to feed its People, educate its People, provide basic Health Care Systems, Access and Travel, Infrastructure…and, to much of the Wealth of the continent is controlled by Neo-Colonialist, and the New Neo-Colonialist: China and India. The so-called Leaders of African States continue not to govern; but, to Rule and disseminate pursuit of happiness and opportunities to a few. Politics is [Tribal].
Africans in the Diaspora will never have any Respect on this planet as long as the Head of the continent is weak. In 1950 following a decade of WW II, major 3rd World status was given to: Africa, India, and China. Only Africa remains in the status alone. Again, we, in the diaspora suffers. In contrast, Chinese/Asian and Indian immigrants have a higher status because China and India are Industrialized, modernized and has a workforce that Produce Goods and, Educates its people, and Feeds its People, and provides a Military that can Protect its people. What do Africans have?
Blacks in America, Canada, in the South American, Brazil, Indonesia and on the African continent , the majority are suffering. We have thousands in Africa trying to migrate to European countries to make a living. Thousands being brutalized in Libya ,and in Arab held countries; many, disenfranchised in their own lands.
I hope and pray that this so-called meeting will be more than smiles, and a show of wealth with the false sense that: We have accomplished something or Came a Long Way…We haven’t.