Diva’s Culturally Sustaining Black Feminism: Tales from an Afro-Brazilian Teacher-Activist-Mother

Abstract

In this article, the epistemology and pedagogy of an Afro-Brazilian woman named Diva are discussed as a culturally sustaining praxis in the context of the transnational and feminist #BlackLivesMatter movement. Diva works to dismantle white supremacy in her roles as a preschool teacher, doll maker, children’s book author, and mother. Findings come from ethnographic fieldwork conducted between 2018 and 2020 that involved collecting narratives and videos, examining artifacts, and developing a continued relationship and solidarity. This article demonstrates a form of Black Brazilian culturally sustaining pedagogy and Black feminism, which can help the field of comparative and international education (CIE) move away from the white gaze toward racial equity, as exemplified by Diva’s praxis.