Narrativas de resistência: mulheres negras e cotas raciais na Faculdade de Educação da Baixada Fluminense (FEBF/UERJ)

Abstract

The quota policy in higher education is an affirmative action mechanism in which places are reserved for underprivileged groups, such as black people. UERJ is recognized as a pioneer in the implementation of quotas, having its first entrance exam with reserved places in 2003. Since then permanence policies have been elaborated, because it is not enough to guarantee access to higher education, the quota students must stay on and finish their degrees. For this, the institution must understand and listen to the quota students. This work carried out a researchWITH, listening to the resistance narratives of black, quota-holding and peripheral women. The objective is to understand the impacts of the quota policy and how this policy is read and experienced by undergraduate students of the Pedagogy course of the Faculdade de Educação da Baixada Fluminense. To this end, seven interviews - called conversations - were carried out in the year 2022 in which the women shared narratives about racism at school, life trajectories before entering university, experience in social pre-vestibular, what it is like to live in the periphery, perceptions before and after entering the FEBF about the quotas, how it is to study in a university in Baixada Fluminense, improvements of the quota policy, staying in the university, experience in the FEBF, how it was to attend the graduate school during remote education in pandemic, among other issues. For the theoretical and methodological approach, were researched preferentially black authors, especially black women. Because of the genderized racism experienced by the research women, the analyses made use of intersectionality as an analytical sensibility, because of the intersection between race, class, territory, the experience of being a quote student and gender. In addition, considering that there is no neutrality in research, the analysis of implications and whiteness as an analytical device. The interviewed intellectuals elaborated suggestions for the improvement of the quota policy, for the improvement of their experience as quota students, shared challenges they had experienced, which, in some situations, almost led to dropping out of the course, and pointed out the factors for remaining in the university. With the narratives heard, it was possible to realize that the permanence goes beyond financial aid, there is a permanence policy that is not only law; it is related to interpersonal relationships and the FEBF community, with the feeling of belonging to the territory and the university, as well as affectivity. The FEBF was a place where processes of empowerment, self-knowledge, elevation of self-esteem, recognition and reaffirmation of black identity, deconstruction of prejudices and positive self-perception took place. One of the problems faced by the interviewees at the FEBF were the strange looks from people who were not quota student and the lack of information about quotas and aid.