Seminars and Symposia
Afro-Descendent Communities
in the Americas
New York City holds the greatest diversity of African descendants.
It is the prime location to bring community organizations that represent
African descendants and the city's diverse policy-making leadership
together. The importance of forging lasting connections between the
Afro-Latino movements of the Americas and the Caribbean with our communities
in the United States has never been more relevant as the population
of Afro-Latinos in and outside the United States continues to grow.
This seminar will facilitate a discussion around these emerging issues,
emphasizing the importance of making the concerns of Afro-Latinos part
of the national and international dialogue. Panelists include: Epsy
Campbell-Barr of Costa Rica, Sergia Galván of the Dominican Republic,
Beatriz Ramirez Abella of Uruguay, Ivete Sacramento of Brazil, Dorotea
Wilson of Nicaragua, Maria Eliza Velazquez Gutierrez of Mexico, Zulia
Mena of Colombia, and Nirva Rosa Camacho Parra of Venezuela.
PANELISTS:
Epsy Campbell-Barr, Costa Rica
Epsy Campbell Barr is a human rights activist, dedicated to
public service and is also a university professor and an economist.
Ms. Campbell Barr ran for Vice-President in the February Costa Rican
national elections as a candidate of the Accion Ciudadana political
party. She is a member of the forum for social equity of the Inter-American
Development Bank and of the continental organization of the Inter-American
Dialogue of the Center for Afro-descendent Women (Centro de Mujeres
Afro-descendientes) and of the Organization of Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Latin
American women (Red de Mujeres Afro-caribenas y Afro-Latinoamericanas).
Sergia Galván, Dominican Republic
Sergia Galvan is the director of the Collective for Women and
Health [Colectiva Mujer y Salud] in the Dominican Republic. She and
her organization work towards raising awareness among women’s
organizations, networks, groups and associations regarding the key elements
of the law on social security and health from a rights-based perspective.
Currently she is the director of public policy of the Secretary of State
of Women in the Dominican Republic.
Beatriz Ramirez Abella, Uruguay
Beatriz Ramirez Abella has been very involved with the black
population in Uruguay for over thirty years. Over the past decade, she
has been responsible for the management of Red de Mujeres (women’s
network) in the Latin American region; founded and led the first cooperative
for women of African descent in Uruguay; and co-founded Alianza Estrategica
(“Strategic Alliance”) in Costa Rica. Since the year 2000
Ms. Ramirez Abella has been part of a network of teachers of the Instituto
Superior de Formacion Afro which also teaches about issues pertaining
to gender, ethnicity, and class.
Ivete Sacramento, Brazil, UNEB-Magnifica Reitora
Professor Sacramento’s interest in rural education and extension
campuses is the hallmark of her directorship at the Bahian State University,
where she established satellite campuses throughout Bahia State, and
implemented the widest affirmative action and quotas campaign in the
history of Brazilian higher education. Her courage as an educator, innovator,
and social activist has earned her international support and recognition,
particularly among African Descendant populations throughout the Americas,
Africa, and Europe.
Dorotea Wilson, Nicaragua
Dorotea Wilson, is a prominent leader in Nicaragua’s "Atlantic
Coast Autonomous Region" and a member of the Sandinista National
Executive. Ms Wilson played a prominent role in the establishment of
the region and in fighting for the rights of the country’s indigenous
population. She is an advocate for the rights of women of color in general
and those from rural areas in particular. Ms. Wilson has served as the
Mayor of Puerto Cabezas, one of the major cities on the Atlantic Coast,
a member of the National Parliament and the government of the Autonomous
Region.
Maria Eliza Velazquez Gutierrez, Mexico
Mrs. Velazquez Gutierrez is a full time researcher in the Direccion
de Etnologia y Antropologia Social (Social Anthopology and Ethnology
Center) and has been the coordinator of its permanent curriculum “Poblaciones
y Culturas de Origen Africano en México” (Cultures and
Communities of African Origin in Mexico) since 1997. In addition to
her professorship at the Maestria en Museos de la Universidad Iberoamericana
and her active participation in international conferences, Ms. Velazquez
Gutierrez has authored several books including the award winning “Mujeres
de la Capital Novohispana, siglos XVII y XVIII”.
Zulia Mena, Colombia
Zulia Mena Garcia is the founder of the Consejo Colombiano de Mujeres
Negras, COMUN, (The Colombian Council of Black Women), and co-founder
of the Ethnic Movement of Black Women. She has served as advisor of
the Territorial Afro- Chocó Collective and as a consultant for
ethnic and social projects. She has also served as advisor to Choco’s
governor on issues of ethnicity and culture. In addition, Ms. Mena Garcia
has participated intensively in national and international forums and
conferences on race and ethnicity and the rights of African descendant
women, and has published extensively on issues related to women’s
rights, ethnicity, culture, territorial rights, racism and the Colombian
armed conflict.
Nirva Rosa Camacho Parra, Venezuela
Nirva Rosa Camacho Parra is a specialist in family counseling and education,
and works as a Psychologist at the Center for Child Development at La
Guaira. Prior to this position she served as Executive Secretary at
the Women’s Institute Foundation in the State of Vargas. Ms. Camacho-Parra
has participated extensively in workshops and women’s forums addressing
the situation of Afro-Venezuelans and issues such as economy and women;
human relations, leadership and authority, and issues related to gender
and politics. She is a member of the Cumbre Nacional de Mujeres Afrodescendientes
and of the Red de Mujeres de Vargas. She has served as coordinator of
the network of Afro-Venezuelan organizations and as organizer of the
National Conference of Afro-descendant Women, from 2001 through 2005.
WHEN: March 22, 2006, 2:00 pm,
WHERE: C201/C202 (Concourse Level)
The Graduate Center -CUNY
365 Fifth Ave. @ 34th Street
To reserve, please send request to: bildner@gc.cuny.edu.
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