Yes. Djamila Ribeiro is the first Brazilian to teach in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Her candidacy was unanimously approved by all the departments involved. The news was first reported by Estadão in an interview given by Ribeiro to Alice Ferraz, published this Sunday (27).

“My name was approved to start teaching in September. This time, I will stay for one year, with the possibility of extending for another. I am excited about the structure and the time to develop more consistent work,” said the now MIT professor to the newspaper. Before heading to the United States, she will go on a tour through Europe and Africa in May.

On Instagram, Estadão highlighted Djamila’s trajectory and the multiplicity of her fields of work.

“Author, international speaker, and one of the most influential voices in Brazilian public debate, Djamila Ribeiro continues to introduce herself, above all, as a teacher. For her, teaching has never been just an occupation; it is a tool of emancipation. ⁣Now, the mind behind books such as Lugar de Fala (Where We Stand) and Pequeno Manual Antirracista (The Little Anti-Racist Manual) becomes the first Brazilian to teach in the prestigious program honoring Martin Luther King at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT,” the outlet posted on its social media profile.⁣

The news was also shared by other Brazilian media outlets, such as Metrópoles, Correio Braziliense, and BNews.

About the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Program

Created in 1991, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Visiting Professors and Scholars Program at MIT welcomes distinguished scholars for visiting appointments. The Institute seeks to attract candidates who are, in Dr. King’s words, “trailblazers in human, academic, scientific, and religious freedom.”

According to the program’s website, invited scholars are distinguished by their academic achievements and intellectual contributions, as well as their ability to enrich the intellectual and community life at the Institute. Past scholars have included engineers, mathematicians, computer scientists, public policy experts, filmmakers, and recording artists.

During their stay at MIT, scholars are deeply involved with the Institute’s community. As part of the program, they advance their own research agendas, interact with undergraduate and graduate students, teach courses, and collaborate with MIT experts in their fields.

Djamila Ribeiro continues to break barriers that once seemed insurmountable for the dissemination of Brazilian thought. In her own words to Estadão: “Many Brazilians arrive abroad feeling intimidated. I felt the same way at first. But later I realized: we owe nothing. Our intellectual production is incredibly rich. We must engage on equal footing.”