Equality, equity and racial issues in the labor market

It is not uncommon to hear that "we are all equal", especially when we are talking about racial discussions and this is an argument that supports the thesis defended by many that there is no racism in Brazil. But is this statement real in practice? Do we see the same amount of black and white people occupying the same positions in companies? Do we see the same amount of blacks and whites occupying the same classrooms and professorships in federal universities? Do we see black and white people in the same positions getting the same salaries?

In a country that has more than 50% of the population self-declared black, the logic would be to find this proportionality in all restaurants, theater plays, among other environments. But there is no proportionality in spaces of power, in representative places, etc. This can be explained by some reasons, among them the legacy of dehumanization left by slavery and colonization in our country, the last to abolish slavery.

Centuries of kidnapping, exploitation, objectification, and animalization of black African people and their descendants (almost 400 years!) have actively contributed to the construction of an unequal society that relegates these people to the most unprivileged places and a lack of opportunities. In 1888, when the Lei áurea was signed (and we are not saying that this is a milestone in the end of slavery, because it is not!), the supposed abolition took place without any inclusion and reparation project for the inequality generated.

And that is when we need to pay attention to another concept that is often forgotten: equity. Equity is a process; equality, a product. We need to treat those who need special actions unequally so that we can, in the end, offer the same chances to everyone. If a person is wheelchair-bound and I have an institution and I put in an elevator or a ramp so that he or she can access the spaces, I am looking at that need and trying to remedy an inequality of access. This is what equity proposes.

When we talk about racial equality in the labor market, we are talking about adopting measures, proposing affirmative action for inclusion, creating differentiated selection and career development processes. We talk about this not because we believe that one group deserves this privilege, it is just the opposite. We understand that there is a historical difference that needs to be overcome and, for this reason, we need to carry out equitable initiatives (our process) in order to achieve our product (equality).

Finally, we need to remember that we are not all equal! And that is great. We are different, and that is what enriches us, but we should and do deserve to have equal chances. This is the main guideline that ID_BR brings, saying "Yes to Racial Equality"!