Kandandu: Black Women’s Identity, Racism, and the Street Carnival

Abstract

Objective: we aim to understand how racism tangibly manifests in the lives of Black women, limiting their agency as they navigate social spaces through cultural expressions in the city of Belo Horizonte. Theoretical approach: we draw upon the concepts of structural racism and narcissistic pact, identifying convergences and divergences in the understanding of organizations as racialized spaces. Methods: we employ a qualitative approach within the context of ethnographic research, opting to conduct a semi-structured interview with Zuri, the president of an Afro block. As an analytical tool, we apply the concept of intersectionality. Results: we highlight that both structural racism and the narcissistic pact manifest in the daily life of organizations. Both phenomena are even more pernicious for Black women, particularly when they challenge a racist and sexist structure. Conclusions: the collective dimension of racism presents challenges to organizations and their stakeholders. This effect may lead individuals, especially organizational leaders who should be more committed to structural change, to hide behind the racism within their institutions and pacts among their team members.