“Next month, I will be going to New York to teach at NYU. It will be my first time living outside of Brazil, and I found myself reflecting on the journey I’ve taken,” wrote the Brazilian philosopher on her Instagram, commenting on photos from the time she was a teacher at Educafro Baixada Santista, a pre-college course for Black and low-income students, about 20 years ago.

“Interestingly, I had not yet graduated at that time, but I voluntarily dedicated all my Saturdays and some weekdays to the project so these young people could achieve their dream of higher education. Thulane was a baby, and I always took her with me,” she emphasized.

Djamila also posted a photo from a field trip she took with the students, “first to the Museu do Ipiranga and then to the Museu Afro Brasil so they could conduct a critical analysis. My dear friend Augusta França (@augustadefrancaoliveira) coordinated everything with much love,” she recalled.

“In the last photo, my friend Flávia Monteiro (@flavia.m.monteiro) is taking care of Thulane so I could teach. In photo 5, I am moderating the launch of Cadernos Negros with the dear Esmeralda Ribeiro (@escritoraesmeraldaribeiro), and in photo 7, I am giving a lecture at the Colégio Estadual dos Andradas on the importance of Black Consciousness Day,” Djamila commented, highlighting how much this community work enriched her development.

“Teaching at a university in the USA is only possible because I had experiences like these. Experiences in favor of the collective that allowed me to see the world beyond the cracks and taught me about political mobilization. I feel nostalgic with the approaching change, but happy to see that everything continues to make sense. Those who do not forget where they came from, the sure arrow always points to where they are going.”

“Teacher visa approved!”

Djamila also made a post commenting on the approval of her visa to work as a teacher in the United States.

“Today my J1 visa was approved, now there is nothing left for the next journey in New York. I will assume the Andrés Bello Chair to teach this semester at NYU.”

The philosopher will prioritize “a predominantly Brazilian, female, and Black bibliography.” One of the challenges, according to her, is having to translate excerpts from the chosen authors’ works, as most have not been translated. “Translation policies remain colonial, unfortunately. However, I am happy to do this and present Brazilian authors to the students.”

The course to be taught was named, according to journalist Guilherme Amado’s column, “New Civilizational Frameworks through the Lens of Lélia Gonzalez.” One of the focuses is precisely the examination of colonial translation policies and their impact on the dissemination of critical works. Djamila’s classes at NYU will also be essential for fostering dialogue between different branches of feminism in South and North America.

Djamila mentioned that the moment coincides with the launch of the English version of ‘Lugar de Fala’.

“The pleasing synchronicity is that the English edition of Lugar de Fala, ‘Where We Stand,’ will be published in August, and besides the classes at NYU, I will do some launch events across the USA. We already have events scheduled in Washington D.C, New York, Atlanta, and Madison/Wisconsin,” she revealed, highlighting that “the book has been placed on the list of the most anticipated books of 2024 by Literary Hub (@literaryhub) and already considered a feminist classic,” she posted.

The writer emphasized the “immense joy” of being published by the prestigious Yale University Press and having a preface by the “giant Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie,” reinforcing the ties of the Global South.

“I never tire of thanking her for her generosity!” she added, also praising names like Ibram X Kendi and Patricia Hill Collins, who wrote the back cover. “I am grateful for the dialogue and sharing,” she wrote.

To conclude, Djamila spoke about the continuity of projects in Brazil, despite the distance.

“My main focuses will be the classes and the launch events of Where We Stand, but of course, my ties with Brazil remain firm and strong. My weekly column in Folha will continue, the work at Espaço Feminismos Plurais, and the editorial projects. The feeling is gratitude!”