Gloria Maria and the strength of her representativeness

There are those who still question why representativeness matters. Representativeness makes dreams come true for people like me – with dark skin – who dream when they see themselves. And one day in my childhood, I looked at the television and saw a woman with skin as dark as mine: she was Gloria Maria. That image changed my life and made little Letícia believe that, yes, her dream was possible. There she was born and her dream of becoming a journalist came true.

I woke up this Thursday, February 2nd, the day of Iemanjá (the queen of the sea) with the news of the death of Gloria Maria. I paralyzed, my eyes watered and, on such a significant day for me, my reference goes away.

Gloria was a reference for all black men and women who dreamed and managed to graduate in journalism. She opened doors and showed us that we can. Far beyond that, she proved that we are capable, competent, versatile and professional, regardless of the color of our skin. That we can and should be wherever we want and, even if there is racism in the middle of the way, we will follow.

Yes, Gloria was a pioneer and first of many things. First woman to go live in color on TV Globo’s Jornal Nacional, the same newspaper that years later, I would work as a producer and where I would have the pleasure of meeting Gloria Maria in person.

We met at a JN 50th birthday party and I spent almost the entire party finding a strategy to approach her. But, pieces of fate, she looked at me from afar and said “I want to take a picture with you”. An unlikely but real scene. With her greatness and generosity, she came to me to meet me. I will never forget that day.

I will never forget Gloria Maria and everything she stands for. There was a time when it would have been unimaginable to think of a black journalist on TV. Even more so if he was a woman. But she went there and did it. If today we are some and some spread across the communication vehicles, it was because the door was opened by her. She who used to who always ran away from activism but did the biggest one. Being, being and occupying.

A little over a year ago, I joined a group of black journalists from various communication vehicles to get to know each other, meet, strengthen and see that we are not alone. Coincidence or not and, of course, in a beautiful tribute we named the group Heirs of Gloria Maria. Yes, we are and will always be heirs. Each one in their individuality, representativeness, with their talent, professionalism but always honoring this legacy left by them. Legacy that made so many black people, like me, believe they could.

Thank you, Gloria!