Champion of the Water

One of the amazing activists we learned about and wanted to connect with on our preliminary visit was Eliete Paraguassu. Eliete, a quilombola (descendant of Afro-Brazilian slaves who escaped the plantations 500 years ago to uninhabited islands in the Bay of All Saints) is a shell fisherwoman from the Porto de Cavalhos community, one of 5 quilombos on Ilha de Maré (Tide Island). She is a true badass warrior woman! For the past 34 years she and her community of Afro-Brazilian shell fisherwomen and men have organized to fight against eco-racism on the island. Her community is in a part of Tide Island occupied by chemical and oil industries, polluting the waters; the main means of the community's survival. Many in the local population, including Eliete's daughter, have been poisoned by heavy metals contamination. She fights out of necessity and love, and has helped build coalitions to support her community and bring political awareness and change to the region. She is a member of the Front Line Defenders , the National Articulation Movement of Fisherwomen and Fishermen, and the MAHIN Collective (of Black Brazilian Women). This very busy woman generously offered to meet with us on short notice after connecting with her through Instagram--@elieteparaguassuoficial. She is running for Verança de Salvador, a political council position this fall (2024), and supporting the mayorial campaign of Afro-Brazilian politician, Klebar Rosa and running mate Dona Mira. She is an electric personality and looks forward to meeting with MICA faculty and students in her home community on an artivism eco-racism project. Click on the photo below for a YouTube video to learn more about eco-racism on Tide Island.

Eliete with Dr. Pam at a breakfast meeting with local activists and university professors on eco-racism