Beatriz Nascimento Foundation is a non-profit organization with a mission to share the richness of Afro-Brazilian culture with the world, building on the inspiring legacy of Brazilian academic and activist Beatriz Nascimento.

Through our work, we aim to foster a greater appreciation and understanding of this vibrant culture, while promoting social and cultural diversity.

Join us on this journey of discovery and celebration of Afro-Brazilian culture.

I am Atlantic

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Eu sou Atlântica

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I am Atlantic - Eu sou Atlântica -

Beatriz Nascimento (12 July 1942 – 28 January 1995) was an Afro-Brazilian academic and activist. She was an influential participant of the Black Movement of Brazil from its beginnings in the 1960s until her death. Through her academic research, she evaluated the importance of quilombos as autonomous spaces for people of African descent during the colonial period and challenged the political environment and racial policies of the government toward Afro-Brazilians. Her scholarship on the invisibility of black women, and particularly non-Anglo women of the African diaspora had an international impact on research regarding the complexities of the black experience and lack of attention focused on Afro-Latinas in transnational feminism.

OUR FOUNDER

Bethânia Nascimento F. Gomes was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and pursued a career in classical ballet. In 1992, she joined, The  Dance Theater of Harlem Company . Her first tour was to South Africa where the company performed for Nelson Mandela. Years later she rose to the rank of principal dancer becoming the first Afro-Brazilian woman to reach the rank of first dancer in a world known Classical Ballet Company . She was mentored and directed by Arthur Mitchel. She is currently a teacher, coach, choreographer and co - founder , coordinator of the Brazil Residency  along with Robert Garland for The Dance Theatre of Harlem School. She also works with Afro-American institutions as Collage Dance Collective,  Alvin Ailey and the contemporary dance company Emerge 125 directed by Tiffany Rae Williams. 

She is also dedicated to the works of her mother, Beatriz Nascimento. Bethania Nascimento's first work in relation to her mother was the book, All Distances (2015), a collection of poems and aphorisms, in collaboration with Professor, writer and biographer Alex Ratts. (University of Goiania, Brazil) Bethania Nascimento has been in collaboration  with academics, Christen A. Smith (University of Texas, Austin) and Archie Davis (Kings College, London). Beatriz's first series of works in English: "In Front of the World: Nascimento “(Antipode, 2021) and the upcoming release of  a Beatriz Nascimento  book translated to English in 2022. Recently, Bethania Nascimento,  published her first children’s book Betha a bailarina pretinha. The book is an autobiographical story on her career as a classical ballerina.

BOARD MEMBERS

  • BOARD MEMBER

    Ermínia Jorge Apolinario, originally from Vitoria, Espirito Santo, is a singer, song writer, founder of ZKA Brazilian Soul Food, activist, and a Mom of 3. Ermínia moved to Minneapolis in 198l.

    During her stay, she created Batuque Brasileiro, Canto y Tambor, Black Music of Brasil, and Venzuela — all different musical groups. Ermínia also sang for Peter Nelson’s band called Shangoya. While in Minneapolis, Ermínia sang at Great Hall Coffman Union, Pillsbury House, William’s Night Club, New Riverside Cafe, The Main Street Jazz Festival, Cedar Riverside People’s Center, and also Fresh Air Radio station. In the mid 1980s, Erminia moved to NY, where she joined Jelon Vieira Dance Brasil, working as a vocalist and helping with wardrobe and props. In 1988, she joined the Movimento Negro Unificado (MNU).

    The group’s goal was to ensure proper respect for the constitutional rights of our Brazilian brothers and sisters. She worked with her peers under the guidance of Jose Santos and Lelia Gonzalez, Afro Brazilian intellectual, politician, professor, anthropologist, and woman’s rights activist. Erminia sings traditional Afro Brazilian songs in hopes of keeping our heritage alive so that it can be passed on to future generations. In the early 1990s, Erminia sang with Retumba Con Pie Dance Company, Katende Band, and Nego Gato Ensemble. During her time at Nego Gato Ensemble, Ermínia worked closely with musical director Emilia Biancardi.

    She has also collaborated with dance troupe O Samba and performed at Theater for the New City in New York. Ermínia has traveled with Logunede Dance Company to perform in cities like Greece, Spain, and Los Angeles, at events like Ohio’s Jazz Festival, and in theaters like New Mexico’s Popjoy under the supervision of the World Music Institute. Erminia has collaborated with Cacau Arco Verde, an artist who has featured Ermínia’s original songs on his web radio station called Catimbau, located in Pernambuco, Brazil. The radio show is called Amazonas Sonoras and features female voices from the Amazon. Erminia has also co-written songs with Cid Travaglia, recorded music in Vitoria, Espirito Santo with Leandro Bonfim (producer from Fusion Dub), and sang with Tribo Jazz Fusion Band with Jorge Amorin in New York City.

    Erminia has also sat in with Eduardo Brecho and Band at Mintons in Harlem, NY. Today, Erminia sings and collaborates with groups in New York, including Movement of the People Dance Company, an Art Resistance group and sings with the all-women Afro-Brazilian percussion group called Batala New York. She alsoworks with musical director and bass player extraordinaire Chico Jede En to record original political songs and continue singing and song writing.

  • BOARD MEMBER

    Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil Ingrid Silva began ballet studies at the age of 8 at Projeto Dancando Para Nao Dancar. Silva studied at Escola de Danca Maria Olenewa, Centro de Movimento Debora Colker on full scholarship and at age seventeen joined Grupo Corpo as an apprentice. Following high School, she attended Univercidade da Cidade. Silva attended the Dance Theatre of Harlem Summer Program on full scholarship in 2007, joined the Professional Training Program and Dancing Through Barriers Ensemble in 2008 and became a member of the professional Company in 2013.

    As guest artist, Silva performed with Dançando Para Não Dançar in Brasil, Armitage Gone!Dance, and The Francesca Harper Project. Silva's work with choreographers includes Arthur Mitchell, Donald Byrd, John Alleyne, Darrel Grand Moltrie, Francesca Harper, Robert Garland, David Fernandez, Carol Armitage, Deborah Colker, Rodrigo Pederneiras and many others. With Dance Theatre of Harlem Silva has danced Principal roles in George Balanchine's Glinka Pas de Trois and Agon, Robert Garland's Return, Ulysses Dove's Dancing on the Front Porch of Heaven and John Alleyne's Far but Close. Soloist roles include Alvin Ailey's Lark Ascending, Donald Byrd's Contested Space, and Darrel Grand Moltrie's Vessels. As a cultural ambassador for the U.S State Department Silva has performed and provided community outreach in Jamaica, Honduras and Israel. She performed at the Brasil Foundation's Lincoln Center 2014 Gala and was featured in the Brasilian film Mare Nossa Historia de Amor. She was featured recently in Vogue and Glamor magazines in Brasil.

    In 2016 Silva was part of Activia campaign and was also nominated the brand's Global Ambassador embracing Women's Empowerment. In 2017 Silva was the cover of Pointe Magazine (June/July Issue), being the first African Brazilian to be a cover and also shows Silva's inspiring journey. In 2017 she also did a inspirational Campaign with Alicia Keys to promote her story

  • Board Member

    Kenia Maria is an actress, writer and speaker, she’s a representative of Black Women at the UN Women Brazil , working in the agenda of the joint program Moverse - UN Economic Empowerment of Refugee and Migrant Women in Brazil, in the 2030-UN agenda, global initiative, “For a 50-50 planet: a decisive step towards gender equality and in the program of activities for the Implementation of the International Decade for People of African Descent, proclaimed by the UN in the period between 2015 and 2024. Represents Volvo Car Brazil as an Ambassador, disseminating technology allied to the commitment to the climate and the future. She is one of the 100 biggest influencers according to MIPAD, a UN award that annually honors the most influential people of African descent in the world. Winner of the Golden Globe as a consultant on the Christmas special – “Together Magic Happens”. 2019 Winner of the “It makes a difference newspaper o Globo” award. The award is an initiative of GLOBO Network in partnership with Firjan; 2018 Speaker for TED TALK (Sao Paulo) – “It's good for you” Women who Inspire – 2017 Race Award Winner -2015 Social Responsibility Award at ALERJ – 2015

OUR TEAM

  • Social Media & Communications

    Evorah Nascimento P. Barbosa was born in Rio de Janeiro and is the youngest niece of Beatriz Nascimento, daughter of Ana Maria Nascimento Barbosa, her sister. She has a technical background in clinical pathology from high school and a degree in biology with a specialization in microbiology. She has been working in the healthcare field since she was 18 years old.

    Beatriz was once her niece's teacher, preparing her for admission to public schools. It was at this time that Evorah realized that everything she had been taught about Black and Brazilian history in school made no sense - a Eurocentric history written by white hands.

    In addition to her work in healthcare, Evorah is also a communicator in the oncology field. She is an oncology patient with three non-metastatic diagnoses, in remission from breast cancer with BRCA2 mutation. The work is still in its early stages, but the goal is to raise awareness and fight for more fair and equal cancer treatments, especially for Black and marginalized women.

  • Prospective Researcher & Strategic Development Associate

    Zaira Apolinario Chaplin is a born New Yorker, raised by her Afro-Brazilian mother in Harlem, New York, and St. Albans, Queens - two historic black neighborhoods. She studied at Avenues: The World School for four years, where she was part of the first ever graduating class. At the end of her four years there, after being nominated and elected one of two student speakers, she delivered a graduation speech in the company of the two other speakers: Edgar Guzman and Robert DeNiro.

    After graduating Avenues, Zaira obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations at Pomona College in Claremont, California. There, worked as a leadership intern at the Student Leadership and Mentorship office supporting first-generation college students navigate their academic and extracurricular responsibilities at the college. Additionally, Zaira worked with HealthRight International in business development and grant research intended to support marginalized communities globally by promoting inclusive healthcare solutions in partnership with local organizations. Zaira graduated from Pomona College after being awarded the International Relations John Vieg. Senior Prize for outstanding work on her senior thesis.

    Upon graduating from Pomona, Zaira joined Accenture, where she worked in Strategy & Consulting and Interactive serving diverse clients in Tech, Beauty, Utilities, Public Health, and more. She gained invaluable experience in UX/CX Research and Strategy, Project Management Organization, Design Thinking, and Qualitative Research and Analysis. Currently, Zaira is a Fulbright scholar carrying out independent ethnographic research intended to explore the link between community activism, municipal public policy, and effective hyperlocal support.

  • Program Director

    Leonora Souza Paula, Ph.D is an educator, researcher and mentor. Born in Belo Horizonte, she has over a decade of experience in anti-racist education, program design and management, community engagement and transnational collaboration. She has worked with several non-profit organizations and educational institutions in the United States, Latin America and Africa, developing strategies to build international coalitions around racial and gender justice.

    She is the founding co-director of the Sister Circle Mentoring Program designed to improve access to wellness and enhance the educational and professional experience of young women of color leaders in the United States. She is the co-founder of the Young Women Transnational Feminisms program in partnership with the Young Women Leadership in Botswana.

    Leonora has created partnerships for the advancement of common agendas with global anti-racist and gender equity organizations including the VidaAfroLatina, Fundo Social ELAS, Black Women Radicals, The Defend Black Women March, and Grit, Glam & Guts. She is one of the coordinators of the Kilomba Collective of Black Brazilian Women in the United States, a feminist collective dedicated to centering and empowering Black women by engaging in advocacy, education, community action, and national and international collaboration on issues around social justice, gender equity and immigrant rights.

  • Executive Assistant

    Josiane, a native of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, holds a degree in hospital management and also studied law at Faculdade Bennett. Fluent in Italian and French, she currently serves as an executive assistant and public relations coordinator for BNF, while also working at the Municipal Public Lighting Company of Rio de Janeiro.

MAKE A DONATION.

Beatriz Nascimento Foundation is an organization that spearheads Arts and Education. This organization is based on the legacy of Beatriz Nascimento with the goal of sharing  Afro-Brazilian culture throughout the world. Support our efforts in making this a reality:

Through PayPal: bethabia@icloud.com

Venmo: @bethania-gomes