The Black population in Brazil faces daily oppression, exclusion, and even systematic genocide in their communities, which is intensified by the lack of public policies. This is particularly evident in the lives of women, Black activists, and non-binary people. Aware of this reality, which has been exacerbated by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Coletivos de Mulheres Negras Ayomidê Yalodê (Ayomidê Yalodê Black Women’s Collectives) in Salvador, Bahia, managed to establish care and protection networks that included strengthening physical security at the organization’s shelter and digital security. Through their shelter strategy and in close coordination with networks such as the Associação Afro-cultural Casa do Mensageiro and the Coletivo Feminista Filhxs do Sol, it was possible to provide a safe space equipped for the needs of activists and human rights defenders and reduce the impact of contagion. In terms of digital security, they held various workshops addressing communication strategies for defending the rights of young LBTIQ+ people and establishing secure communication channels for various counseling and support activities.
The organization provided psychosocial support and assistance in matters of sexual, reproductive, and non-reproductive rights, as well as strategies for coping with the pandemic. These processes took place both in person and virtually, allowing them to assist people in other states of Brazil, especially in rural areas. In addition, they delivered basic food baskets and hygiene kits to LBTIQ+ defenders as a food security strategy to reduce the risks of infection, cope with the crisis, and deal with lockdowns. With the implementation of these strategies, the organization was able to incorporate its reflections on actions and lessons learned to increase its capacity to welcome both activists and their families, in addition to including spaces for trans people. The actions also had an impact on the community, resulting in families also offering their homes to expand the network of shelters, strengthening the social fabric and community networks.
“Currently, the organization is more structured, with tasks divided among its members. We have opened spaces for transgender people, including trans men, because we have begun to understand that our struggles must come from a collective perspective and that within black feminism there can be no gender distinctions.”
