Journeys of 2013 and the racial question in Brazil: trajectories and experiences of young black activists and militants

Abstract

The article's theme is the experiences of young black activists at the 2013 Journeys in Brazil, with the aim of analyzing how these experiences influenced the trajectories of such activists. It presents results from the research “Educational dimensions of the 2013 Journeys in Brazil”, based on bibliographical research and semi-structured interviews of two types: with researchers who approached the Journeys in their investigations; and, most importantly, with 10 people who were, in 2013, black activists active in the Journeys. Based on evidence found in the initial phase of the research, regarding the importance of racial themes and the black movement in the Journeys, this article was proposed based on the results of interviews with activists and militants carried out in the aforementioned research. Among the results, the following stand out: the strengthening of the black movement in Brazil as one of the fruits of the 2013 Journeys, including as result of the experiences of participation of young black women and men in this cycle of collective actions; at the same time, the Journeys, as a moment of political subjectivation, were fundamental in the political trajectories of such young black women and men, who strengthened their links with racial agendas and, in a relevant number, in the following years joined or deepened their involvement with political parties from the progressive camp, even occupying elected positions – in relative contradiction with the climate of strong criticism of parties and the representative political regime experienced during the Journeys.