Erica Malunguinho facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Erica Malunguinho
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Malunguinho in 2018
|
|
| State Deputy for São Paulo | |
| Assumed office 1 February 2019 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 20 November 1981 Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil |
| Political party | PSOL |
Erica Malunguinho da Silva (born 20 November 1981) is a politician from Brazil. She was elected to the Legislative Assembly of São Paulo on 7 October 2018. This was a historic moment because she became the first transgender person to be elected to a state legislature in Brazil.
Erica Malunguinho also created a special place called Aparelha Luzia. It is an urban quilombo, which is a cultural space for black people. It helps people of African descent connect and support each other. It's also a place for art, talks, and performances about black culture and identity.
After high school, Malunguinho moved to São Paulo. There, she started to truly understand and express her transgender identity. She later went to the University of São Paulo. Before becoming a politician, she worked as an artist, activist, and teacher. Her political goals focused on making politics new, including more voices, supporting the idea of quilombos, protecting basic rights, and facing political challenges.
Contents
Erica's Early Life and Identity
Erica Malunguinho da Silva was born on 20 November 1981 in Recife, Pernambuco. She was raised by her mother and other family members. She grew up surrounded by black and indigenous culture. Malunguinho shared that even within her family, racism was a topic. People would compare features like nose shape or hair texture.
The name "Malunguinho" is special. It comes from the Jurema Sagrada cult, which is linked to the forests of Pernambuco. This area is important because her ancestors passed through it. The word "Malungo" means "comrade" or "companion" in an African language. Enslaved people used it to refer to others who had also crossed the ocean and started a new life.
After finishing high school, Malunguinho felt she needed a new start. At 19, she moved to São Paulo. There, she began to understand herself as a trans woman. She said, "I was always trans." With her mother's support, she chose her new name.
For several years, Malunguinho studied at the University of São Paulo. She earned a master's degree in art history. She worked as an artist, creating photography, performances, writings, and drawings. She also spent 15 years working as an activist and educator. She helped train teachers on topics like art, culture, and politics.
Aparelha Luzia: A Special Community Space
In 2016, Erica Malunguinho turned her art studio into a cultural and political center. It is called Aparelha Luzia. This place quickly became known as a very important black cultural space in Brazil.
A quilombo is a Brazilian community that symbolizes early resistance to slavery. Today, quilombos are often rural black communities. They work to keep their African heritage and culture alive. They also fight against racism.
Aparelha Luzia is an urban quilombo. It is seen as a key place for black resistance. It brings black people together to find safety from the racism they face daily. It is also a place to share art and ideas. The goal is to spread black cultural and political ideas.
The quilombo hosts parties, courses, and debates. It is a place for black people to connect and focus on issues important to them. Aparelha Luzia is in a large warehouse. Almost every day, it has live music, art, and gatherings. Malunguinho made sure there is no entrance fee. This is because she wants the space to be open to as many people as possible.
A group manages Aparelha Luzia. However, it was Malunguinho's dream that brought it to life. Over 200,000 people have visited the quilombo in recent years. She wants black people of all gender and sexual identities to feel welcome and safe there.
Erica's Political Journey
At 36 years old, Malunguinho made history. She became the first transgender woman elected to a state congress in Brazil. A big reason she decided to run was the murder of Marielle Franco. Marielle was an LGBTQ Afro-Brazilian politician.
Malunguinho said Marielle's death made her feel a lot of anger. But she knew she needed to turn that anger into something positive. She ran as a member of the Partido Socialismo e Liberdade (PSOL). This party is one of Brazil's most left-leaning parties. Her campaign group was called "Without Fear of Changing São Paulo."
Malunguinho wants to fight racism. She plans to do this by promoting social tourism in quilombos and indigenous lands. This would help fight discrimination and make minorities more visible. It would also support a sustainable economy. She has also promised to fight for the rights of the LGBTQ community. She wants to focus on the basic rights of trans people. This includes helping them find jobs. Malunguinho also plans to support ideas that help homeless people. She wants to improve housing programs.
Campaign Goals
Malunguinho ran for congress with five main goals.
New Ideas in Politics
The first goal was to bring new ideas to politics. Malunguinho enjoyed working with communities. But she also knew she wanted to be in politics. She believed it was time to create a new way of doing politics. This new way would be different from the usual groups in power. She felt she had a duty to connect art, education, LGBTQ, and black movements. She wanted to bring these different groups together within the government.
More Voices in Discussions
The second goal was to "enlarge the debate." Malunguinho knew that politics affects everyone's daily lives. She wanted to connect civil society (everyday people) more closely to politics. She believed people often forget that politics is made by real people. And it affects real people, especially those who have been left out. She thought that politics had become too distant. She wanted people to see that their representatives are real people, not just machines. She wanted people to feel that politics was closer to them.
The Idea of the Quilombo
The third goal was about the idea of the Quilombo. Malunguinho founded the urban quilombo Aparelha Luzia. The idea of a quilombo as an organized, self-run community was a main part of her campaign. She believed quilombos should be seen as important political spaces. They can help people understand and change old stories about those who have been left out. Quilombos can bring people together to work and write their own stories.
Basic Rights for Everyone
The fourth goal was Fundamental Rights. Malunguinho believed that many politicians today do not have the courage to understand unfairness. This includes unfairness based on race, gender, and social class. So, she felt we need politicians who will fight for those who are left out. Malunguinho was ready to focus on this unfair system. She made it a key part of her campaign. She wanted to push for changes in government. This included areas like transportation, economy, health, education, culture, media, and religious freedom. Her goal was to help people who have been, and still are, left out of political discussions.
Facing Political Challenges
The fifth and final goal was Political Challenges. As a black, transgender woman, Malunguinho knew that entering politics would not be easy. But she also knew it was something that needed to be done. She faced a government mostly made up of white, heterosexual, cisgender men. These are the groups who have always had power. She hoped to offer a new way of looking at society. She also wanted to bring a new way of doing politics.
