Discover the trajectory of Andressa Oliveira, the human rights activist

Start this series of four interviews during black awareness month, in this special report for Máxima; sharing with you readers the story of this powerhouse of a woman who is Andressa Oliveira47 years old from Rio de Janeiro, a human rights activist who has an unshakable passion for social justice and a talent that allows her to masterfully flirt with music, being an inspiring figure also as a singer, my heart overflows.

“Cradle” evangelical, she learned from her mother early on Alda Lucia respect for gender and sexuality diversity, always embracing LGBT+ people. Allied with the Black Evangelical Movement (MNE), this anti-racist activist teaches, propagates and educates people about class consciousness, also working in inter-religious struggle and dialogue and also instructs on women’s rights.

She is a true female evangelical force, not only for her faith, but for transmitting principles that seek to build a more just and equitable society, where everyone has equal access to rights and opportunities; something that you don’t see much in the agendas of traditional religious leaders.

The social body of the evangelical church supported me throughout my life, I did not become a ‘street child’ because I had the help of many evangelicals” he comments Andressa.

Evangelical path

She was never ashamed to proclaim herself evangelical, on the contrary, she always used this term/confession of faith as a form of resistance; something that in our country has become something very commonplace and even ‘banalized’ due to the growing wave of the Protestant religion that only increases and, without being intimidated, she continues with her work of raising awareness in society about its deep-rooted racism.

For those who don’t know the MNE (Black Evangelical Movement), of which she is part; is an organization of black evangelical people who fight structural racism and any other form of historical oppression that affects the black population.

They promote actions to eradicate these injustices in our society through seminars, events, debates, lectures, social actions in communities and also helping other institutions, whether religious or educational, that request their guidance. A fundamental movement for our current days, having seen that our generation has been more prone to learning and evolving.

AND Andressa is the best representation of this organization, as he is one of several people who work on the front line, actively participating in favor of this ideal; which has built a more inclusive community respecting and celebrating racial and cultural diversity, thus reaping significant changes by also acting in the evangelical field: since historically many groups of Protestant Christians were led predominantly by white, heterosexual men and from one culture (in their majority) European.

We BLACK people create ways to survive.”

And during this interview she gave me, I received the beautiful and moving report that she is officially cured of breast cancer, which she was undergoing treatment for the second time (something that she insisted on being published, in order to inspire other women).

So by publishing this significant and important article about her trajectory, this interview gains even more flavor, and the flavor is of VIGOR.

Artur Vieira is a Christian, gay and journalist who has worked with the LGBT+ public since 2013 on the internet with the profile @devoltaaoreino.