Ricardo Costa Dos Santos Black History Month Spotlight

This Black History Month we’ve had the privilege to hear from members of the SGH community about their perspectives, inspirations and favorite resources. For today’s Black History Month feature, Ricardo Costa Dos Santos is in the spotlight. Ricardo is an IT Analyst at SMART Modular Technologies Brazil. He shares his insight below on the significance of this time along with some advice and a moment in Black history he wishes more people knew about.

Why is it important to celebrate black history month??

The history of the black people is present in our daily lives in different ways, including cultural and political, and so many people end up not having access to information or knowing about the history of a people that was and is extremely important in our society.

The coming together of ethnicities and peoples is visible all over the world, but even so, even after years of abolition, it is common to see acts of racism and social inequality, and in many cases, often having a tragic end, because even after all the pain and suffering black people still suffer due to racism; the sooner we talk about it and teach people, adults and children, the less cases of inequality and racism we will have. NOBODY IS BORN RACIST.

How does SGH practice diversity and inclusion?

At SGH we have policies that prohibit any discrimination in the company and partnerships, awareness actions on diversity, equal treatment for all employees

What resources would you recommend to someone looking to learn more about Black history?

Technological advancement has greatly facilitated access to this information. Today we can have access to this type of information on: youtube, blogs, documentaries and even on social networks. Some blogs have pages that deal with various topics, including Ancestry.

• https://www.stoodi.com.br/blog/historia/movimento-negro/
• https://unisinos.br/blogs/neabi/2013/02/04/a-historia-do-racismo-documentario/

In celebrating Black history and culture, who or what is your biggest inspiration?

There are several black heroes that we have in world history, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Zumbi dos Palmares, Luiz Gama, José Sponsorship, André Rebolsas, among other names. I usually say that I don't have a single inspiration but I do believe that every abolitionist movement and black movement that fights for racial equality is an inspiration for me. Throughout history we have names with strong personalities and extreme importance.

What message do you have for young black men and women looking to grow into positions of leadership in their schools, workplaces and communities?

We have to accept that we are all capable and even though it is a thousand times harder for us, we need to have the thought that the color of our skin cannot prevent us from achieving our goals, we can conquer the world. An example of this is that one of the greatest world powers ever had a black president. It's tiring, hard, painful. If you don't have extraordinary strength, you can't get through this. But we came into the world to fight. We are warriors!

Why do you think the theme for Black History Month 2023, “Black Resistance” is relevant for today’s climate?

It is common to see racist acts on our social networks, news sites on TV, resulting in the deaths of black people as happened in the USA a few days ago with the Tyre Nichols case. Yes we still live a resistance fighting for equality - the black movement has many faces, but it is always a continuation of the great liberation struggle.

What is a moment in Black history that you wish more people knew about?

The post-abolition moment, because it is at this turning point that people thought that blacks were free and would live in an egalitarian way, which was not really what happened, the story behind abolition must be shown more clearly to society so that they understand the value of racial and social equality.