“In Latin America, the racial issue must be at the center”

Political scientist from the University of Buenos Aires and Afro-Argentine activist, founder of the African Diaspora of Argentina (DIAFAR), Federico Pita She participated in the International Forum “Social Dialogue for Equality and Human Rights,” organized from May 17 to 19 in Bogotá, Colombia, by CLACSO in conjunction with the Colombian Vice Ministry for Social Dialogue, Equality, and Human Rights, headed by Lilia Solano Ramírez. During the forum, she spoke with CLACSO.tv.

Among other definitions, he analyzed that “what needs to be discussed are the material conditions that enable people to rediscover their identity, in a context where they say we are all equal and that 'equal' is synonymous with being white, and I think many people have a mirror in their home and it's clear they don't fit that idea.” And he concluded: “In Latin America, the racial issue must be at the center.”

Interviewed by Gustavo Lema

DIAFAR is a non-governmental organization with over ten years of history. Its acronym stands for the African Diaspora of Argentina, meaning that we are descendants of enslaved Africans born outside the African continent. Our ancestors were kidnapped and brought to the Americas and the Caribbean during the colonization process, although human trafficking continued for several more decades after independence.

Mission: Through two main paths —making visible the history and current situation of Afro-Argentine people and combating racism in all its forms—, DIAFAR promotes community well-being and progress by generating social dialogues that consolidate cultural pluralism and the diversity of voices towards a more just and inclusive democracy.

Vision: Putting our values ​​into action and promoting respect for them will not only guarantee a better quality of life for the diaspora, but will also promote forms of coexistence and new social, political and cultural interpretations that will strengthen our democracy.

Values: Community. Respect. Dialogue. Justice. Solidarity. Equality. Reparations. Memory.