Quebrando o espelho do racismo: a construção da identidade e imagem de meninas negras

Abstract

This study analyzed the influence of the ethnic-racial relations established at school level for the construction of identity and image of six black girls aged from 12 to 15 years old, enrolled in a Belo Horizonte’s municipal school who have been victims of racist attitudes in the school environment. The study also aimed to understand and analyze how and whether these girls have managed to "break the mirror of racism" and recognize themselves as being black and beautiful. In the study emerged questions such as: can they actually face racism? Which strategies did they use to break this mirror? What political and social role did they play? Are they able to see themselves as black and beautiful all the time? The role of school and education in combating or reproducing prejudices and stereotypes is also highlighted in this study, which is situated in the fields of sociology of education and ethnic-racial relations. Concepts such as racism, prejudice, discrimination, identity and image were addressed in the study. Racism is one of the central axes of the analysis, as well as its effects on the formation of black image and identity. The study also addressed the historical, political and social contributions of the studies of black intellectuals and feminists in favor of the "breaking of the mirror of racism". From the girls’ point of view, curly and afro hair appeared as the main factor of school racism. Thus, they were inserted in a group of adolescents and young people called "great cut generation", marked by the valuing of black beauty present in their natural hair. The methodology in this study is anchored on a qualitative approach and it will take the case study associated with a specific methodology approach named “my reflection in the mirror”. Among the assumptions of this research, one was the development of the educational resource "My hair is my form of expression: educational literacy for ethnic-racial relations", which aims to be a pedagogical material consisting of transdisciplinary didactic sequences based on activities that will be used in the classroom, in order to foster exchanges among teachers and students. The development of the research enlightens the purpose of building more equitable relationships with students in order to fight racism, stereotypy and prejudice, as well as to rebuild the meaning of pedagogical practices in daily life.