Pretos que voam – An Afrocentric Collective Project to Promote the Access of Peripheral Black People to Airline Crew Jobs in Brazil

Abstract

Summary This case analyses the “Pretos que Voam” (Blacks who Fly) project, which aids the training of socially vulnerable black people to become flight attendants in Brazil. Since 2020, this project has been carried out by the collective Quilombo Aéreo, which brings together black crew members to aid the elimination of racism in aviation. One of the goals of this collective is to increase the representation of black people in the airline industry. Quilombo Aéreo ( 2022 ) conducted a survey of air crew members, using online forms based on self-identification, and found that black people do not reach 5% of active airline crews. The project is supported by crowdfunding and social partnerships like Fundação Tide Setúbal, Fundo Baobá for racial equity Rede de Mulheres Negras, Odabá Associação de Afroempreendedorismo, Movimento Negro Unificado and others. This made it possible to provide a complete course to become a flight attendant, a basic English course, air crew licences and a passport, and mentorship. In 2021, in Porto Alegre (RS), ten black people graduated in the first class – four women among them have already been hired by airlines. In 2022, the project raised funds to provide the first Afro-focused flight school in a distance learning model in Brazil. In 2023, they are working to start the operation of the school and crowdfunded a campaign for the second class of Pretos que Voam. Facing several forms of racism in Brazilian society and its airline industry, the project also dialogues with other forms of violence common in the sector, such as sexism and machismo . The case study examines concrete actions to transform the pain of its pioneers into fuel for structural changes, having as a framework the Afro culture and, as a scenario, a relevant mode of tourism transportation such as air travel. Information This case study originated from research into empowerment and intersectionalities between racism and sexism through the Quilombo Aéreo (see Further Reading). Here we focus specifically on the Pretos que Voam project, one of the actions developed by the collective. All authors are members of the research group Gritus – Gender, Race and Intersectionalities in Tourism , where this study was developed. Information © The Authors 2024