Activists and academics in New York will honor Councilwoman Marielle Franco, on the anniversary of her unsolved assassination

HONORING MARIELLE FRANCO

Her legacy and the current persecution of human rights defenders in Brazil.

A conversation with Márcia Tiburi and Adjoa Jones de Almeida

On March 14, 2019 from 6 to 8pm, at the NYU Institute for Public Knowledge (20 Cooper Square, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10003), the Defend Democracy in Brazil Committee- New York , with support from the Institute of Public Knowledge and CLACS of the New York University, will bring together friends, academics and activists to remember and celebrate the life of Marielle Franco on the first anniversary of her assassination, in a conversation with guests speakersMárcia Tiburi and Adjoa Jones de Almeida.

Marielle Franco was a first-term city councilor in Rio de Janeiro, where she had come to prominence as political leader. Marielle was a feminist and a fearlesss defender of the rights of black women, the LGBTQ community, and of all the marginalized people of Rio de Janeiro. She was shot to death a year ago, along with her driver, Anderson Gomes, a yet to be solved worldwide known crime which “turned her into a global icon”, according to The New York Times.

Marielle Franco was part of a new generation of Afro-Brazilians that is blossoming, and who became one of the exponents of Brazilian contemporary political scene. Elected councilwoman most voted for the city of Rio in 2016, Marielle was a voice against human rights violations and abuse perpetrated by the far rights paramilitary groups as well and Rio de Janeiro’s Military Police, known as the most lethal police force in the world, against the vulnerable communities and minorities. Her voice was cowardly silenced. There are serious suspicions that her death was demanded by paramilitary militias connected to President Bolsonaro’s family. This gathering is to honor her legacy and to decry the current situation of persecution of progressive activists in the context of the rise of the extreme right in Brazil, particularly in Rio de Janeiro.

Márcia Tiburi and Adjoa Jones de Almeida will join us to talk about Tiburi’s exchanges with Marielle, the present situation in Brazil regarding the persecution of human rights and left-wing activists, and the recent challenges faced by Brazilian democracy after the rise of the extreme right.

A Public Spiritual Act in Marielle’s honor and of all Human Rights defenders in Brazil murdered since the coup d'état of 2016 will follow. We invite all to join and walk with us to the public square.

This event is generously supported by The Institute of Public Knowledge and CLACS-NYU

About the guests

Márcia Tiburi is one of the most popular feminist and pro democracy voices in Brazil today. Writer, philosopher, artist, and activist, she ran last year in the elections for Governor of the State of Rio the Janeiro for the Worker's Party. As a public intellectual, she has been using her popularity to defend the Presidents Dilma Rousseff and Lula da Silva, dénouncing the coup d´état that happened in Brazil in 2016. Threatens by far right groups forced her to leave the country. Márcia has an extensive list of published works. Recently, she published "Feminism in Common: For All and Everyone" (2018), "How to Talk to a Fascist?" (2015) and "Political Ridiculous: A Research on the Risible, Image Manipulation, and the Aesthetically Correct" (2017).

Adjoa Jones de Almeidais a Brazilian-American, a feminist and community educator in New York . From 1996-2006 she helped to develop Sista II Sista (SIIS), a women’s collective dedicated to supporting young women of color in developing personal and collective power. Reflecting on her experiences working with that organization, she contributed to the award-winning anthology, The Revolution Will Not Be Funded: Beyond the Non-Profit Industrial Complex (2007, Boston: South End Press). From 2006-2013 she lived in Arembepe, Bahia where she co-founded the community based organization, Diáspora Solidária, committed to social & environmental justice, artistic expression and youth development .

She is currently the Director of Education at the Brooklyn Museum where she is committed to utilizing arts education as a vehicle for personal and collective transformation. She gave a personal tribute to the legacy of Marielle Franco at the recent exhibition “ Radical Women” at the Brooklyn Museum.

HONORING MARIELLE FRANCO

Her legacy and the current persecution of human rights defenders in Brazil.

A conversation with Márcia Tiburi and Adjoa Jones de Almeida

Followed by an Interfaith Ritual for her Spirit of Light starting at 8 pm.

When:

March 14, 2019 - 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Where:

NYU Institute for Public Knowledge

20 Cooper Square, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10003

More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/2097799303648404

Useful Resources:

The New York Times