On September 11, 2014, Rio de Janeiro Consul General John S. Creamer hosted a luncheon for a diverse group of Afro-Brazilian contacts, including a federal judge, a lawyer specialized in the legal defense of affirmative action, a professor of economics who conducted an in depth research on inequality in Brazil, an arts & culture consultant, a professor of education and organizer of a community-based literary festival, and the director of an NGO that assists Afro-descendent entrepreneurs.
CG Creamer discussed themes related to the social-political and economic inclusion of blacks in Brazil, including affirmative action, violence against Afro-Brazilian youth, black representation in government and society, diversity in the workplace, and race and the elections, among others. The group was unanimous in acknowledging that, after the implementation of quota policies in Brazil, the top two priorities for racial activism in the country are the reduction of violence perpetrated against young Afro-Brazilians, and the development of reparation policies for slavery.
