Last Saturday, the project promoted an unprecedented debate in Brazil about the invisibility of black people with Down syndrome, encouraging the public present – the event was also broadcast online by Instagram @caminhoscommanu – to reflect on the social issues surrounding racism and the impact of this invisibility in life expectancy and in the full development of these people.
Carla Schultz, founder of the Kids Initiative, comments:
“The Kids Initiative is an event that seeks to connect families with the theme of Diversity and I’m always looking to burst bubbles, it’s not just about talking about atypical parenting, because my inspiration is that if I seek a more just, respectful and plural society for it’s no use asking for respect for Manu – my 05-year-old daughter with Down syndrome – but being homophobic, racist, classist and looking only at our bubble full of privileges. It is this reflection that the project committee and I seek to bring to the families at each meeting. It has been very rich and rewarding. People are open to listening and reflecting. As it was this Saturday with the racial agenda.”
The event always seeks to bring relevant discussions and representativeness in its agendas, for the theme “Invisibility of black people with Down syndrome”, in addition to the presence of Ambassador Claudio Arruda, who is a person with Down syndrome, the debate featured a team of people who successfully represented the agenda: the founders of Instituto InvisibiliDown, Thiago Ribeiro and Alyne Gonçalves, who are black people and parents of children with Down syndrome, in addition to Tamara Braga, Head of Diversity and Inclusion at Gupy, who also brought representation and more intersectionality to the agenda with her experience in the corporate market as a black and LGBTQIAP+ person.
Thiago Ribeiro, founder of InvisibiliDown about his participation in the event on October 29th, says:
“Not seeing people of color and people with Down syndrome in the media, campaigns, events and organizations is just the tip of the icebergand hides several layers of inequality-related problems. In Brazil, the majority of the population that suffers the most is black, that is, blacks and browns. And they lead any social indicators when we refer to the absence of rights, lack of access to health, education and leisure, in addition to indicators of violence. The racial cut in inclusion guidelines is urgent, as we are not talking about aesthetic or merely decorative representation, but about the right to full development, citizenship and, above all, the right to life. It’s about society understanding that Noah, my black son with Down syndrome, should have secured the right to have access to the same opportunities available to white people. Inclusion for whom? Being able to participate, at the invitation of Carla Schultz, of this event, of the Kids Initiative, is the summary of everything that has been planted so far. There are not enough words to thank you for the support that made our questions stop being invisible and could be presented to so many people. That in the future we will have more sensitive, empathetic people who are attentive to the pain of other people, like Carla.”
Families with children with or without disabilities in the city of São Paulo who are interested in participating in the Kids Initiative can sign up here: or follow the social networks on Instagram @iniciativakids and @caminhoscommanu
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