Djamila Ribeiro gave an interview to Jornal Expresso, one of the leading media outlets in Portugal.

“When I wanted to study Simone de Beauvoir, people asked, ‘Who is she? Sartre’s wife?'” said Djamila in a quote selected for the interview’s title.

On her Instagram profile, the Brazilian philosopher highlighted the publication by the Portuguese newspaper.

“I’m sharing an excellent interview with Jornal Expresso about my journey, the success of the Portuguese edition of Letters to My Grandmother, and the new book I’ll be launching in Portugal this year with Editorial Caminho,” posted Djamila, referring to her upcoming release: a compilation of the weekly columns she has written for Folha de S. Paulo since 2019.

The ‘most-read intellectual in Brazil’

The interview begins with Djamila reflecting on the fundamental relationship between critical thinking and social change.

“There wasn’t much choice” in choosing paths that did not involve “critically reflecting” on her time and mobilizing to change what she believes “needs to be changed.”

The Portuguese website also highlights the reach of Djamila’s work and the diversity of her national and international contributions to political and cultural debates.

“Today, a philosopher, activist, nonfiction author, and professor in New York, Djamila Ribeiro is, with four published books, the ‘most-read intellectual in Brazil,'” points out Expresso.