Zélia

by Priscilla Ribeiro (Brazil)

Making a local connection Brazil

In 2017 I went to Morro de São Paulo in Bahia and, there, I was at Garapuá Beach. While we were waiting for lunch on the beach, a saleswoman came by offering her cocadas. His smile on his face and the way he presented his sweets made them irresistible. The saleswoman was called Zélia and we started talking. Zélia asked me where I lived and I said I was from Rio de Janeiro, so she told me that she has two brothers living in Rio. I asked her why she didn't live in Rio too and the saleswoman told me: "I didn't go because my mother left here because I'm black. I was raised by my grandmother." I was thrilled to hear it but I replied: "Zélia, you are a warrior, the color of your skin is beautiful and you make the best cocada I have ever tasted in my life. God knows what he does." She told me that she had already forgiven her mother and that many years later she invited her to live in Rio and that, for reasons she couldn't tell, she didn't go to Rio. As I like to photograph, I asked Zélia to photograph her and that was one of my best photos from that trip. This photo even participated in some contests and I had the opportunity to tell a little about the prejudice faced by Zélia through it.