Where We Stand: An Encounter With Djamila Ribeiro

In a society shaped by the legacies of enslavement, white supremacy, and sexism, who has the right to a voice? In her book Where We Stand (Yale University Press), Djamila Ribeiro offers a compelling intervention in contemporary discussions of power and identity: the concept of “speaking place.” A crucial component of conversations on race and gender in Brazil, speaking place is the idea that everyone occupies a social position in the world, and that what we are able to say—and how it is received by others—depends on that position.

Ribeiro traces the history of Black feminist thought over several centuries, examining the ways in which Black women have been silenced, ignored, and punished for speaking. Building on feminist standpoint theory, and in dialogue with the works of Sojourner Truth, bell hooks, Audre Lorde, and others, she invites us all to recognise where we stand, to imagine geographies different from those we have inherited, and to speak a more humane world into being.

A landmark manifesto on global Black feminism, Where We Stand (originally published in Brazilian Portuguese as "Lugar de Fala") is translated by Padma Viswanathan, with a foreword by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. The book was featured in the Los Angeles Times and Literary Hub as one of the most anticipated books of the month. Patricia Hill Collins writes: “Where We Stand boldly claims a space for Black feminism in Brazil. This long-awaited translation offers new audiences a rare opportunity to encounter the rich ideas of an emerging generation of Black women academics and activists who are fearless in pushing for social change.”

The seminar will conclude with a reception.

All are welcome to attend this seminar, held in person only. Places are limited and it is essential to book your place to attend, by clicking Book Now at the top of this page.

Organised by ILCS and the Centre for Latin American and Caribbean Studies