“I grew up in a poor neighborhood on the north side of the...

“I grew up in a poor neighborhood on the north side of the city. There was a lot of violence. But I didn’t feel the color of my skin very much back then. Even the whites in my neighborhood were poor. We all lived in the same way and everyone seemed equal. My mother always encouraged me to study hard so I could leave the neighborhood. She worked as a maid for a rich family, and she wanted me to live a life like theirs. Eventually I graduated college, got a good job, and moved to a wealthier neighborhood in the south part of the city. I do feel safer— just like I imagined. But I never expected to feel so unwelcome. It can be hard to make friends. I’ve been called names. I’m made to feel the color of my skin more than I ever did growing up.”

(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)