Nosso tempo é agora! Mobilização política e transformações das imagens de controle das mulheres negras

Abstract

This article discusses the leadership roles of Black women in the 2020 elections in Brazil, in the midst of the pandemic caused by the new coronavirus. It considers the main lines of political action and highlights the importance of communication through social networks. It is divided into three parts. The first presents some important aspects of the context and historical achievements of the Movimento Negro and the Black Women’s Movement that contributed to Vilma Reis’s campaign for nomination to run for mayor of Salvador. The second discusses theoretical issues of the imaginary and controlling images. The last part presents the formulation of counter-hegemonic narratives that characterize the action of Black women in politics. From a methodological perspective, the article results from participant observation in meetings and online dialogues, rather than social isolation, as well as the analysis of cards distributed through social networks. The pieces that are analyzed show that Black women have broadened their action in the process of running for office, and have acted tactically on the conjuncture, valuing and strengthening their sense of belonging, and breaking with the imaginaries that dehumanize and subordinate Black women.