“Self-Directed” Activism between the U.S. African and Afro-Brazilian Communities: On the Nature of an Activist Relationship [A Response to Brazilian Activist Sueli Carneiro]

The close relationship between the Catholic Church and the ruling oligarchies of Brazil and the suppression of African religions led to a virtual religious monopoly of the Catholic Church in Brazil and across Latin America. One need only refer to the aid and support that US Africans have demonstrated in the struggle against slavery, colonialism and apartheid to know that such support is available to others in common struggle and that such support rests on something more than idealism. The extent that contact between US Africans and Afro-Brazilians has occurred without the benefit of major institutional and organizational support in the US African community opens the door for the work that can be done. The emissary has come to a place clearly as a representative of an organization or group with the hope of making initial contact, establishing a framework for communications and to develop activities of mutual interest.