Society's awakening, society's progress

"Only at that moment did I realize that despite all this close contact with people of another color, those relationships had rested on a basis of inequality."

By Heloisa Gelber Rivas

When I was growing up in Brazil, I was very aware that my family had a history of working for social justice for all racial groups. In fact, over one hundred years ago my great-grandfather was an ardent abolitionist.

Although Brazil was one of the last countries to abolish slavery, it has not experienced the bitter history of racial hatred that has occurred in other countries, having had far fewer entrenched forms of segregation. It would be naive, however, to think that discrimination is on the verge of disappearing in Brazil.

Years ago I gained a glimpse of how far we have to go when I was at a dinner party in the United States, where I had lived for only a short time. Suddenly I became aware that for the first time in my life I was sitting next to someone who was black. I was used to thinking of relationships between blacks and whites as being based on genuine friendship and love. Only at that moment did I realize that despite all this close contact with people of another color, those relationships had rested on a basis of inequality.

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