Last Thursday (15), one of Brazil's most prominent feminist activists, Maria Amélia de Almeida Teles, passed away, known asAs told by Amelinha TelesShe would have turned 82 years old on October 6, 1944.
Born in the city of Contagem, Minas Gerais, she was a journalist, writer, and human rights activist. She was also a guerrilla fighter for the Communist Party of Brazil, the PCdoB, during the military dictatorship. Imprisoned, she resisted the tortures ofCarlos Brilhante UstraA colonel in the Brazilian Army and head of DOI-CODI (Information Operations Detachment - Internal Defense Operations Center).
In an interview with the program, [...]Text: Good Living ConversationFromBrazil's Radio of FactThe sociologistEleonora MenicucciThe former minister of the Secretariat of Policies for Women and long-time friend of Amelinha, shares how Amelinha's work was after the country's democratization.
"After the presidentDilma [Rousseff]approved the Truth Commission — which was decisive forHer fallBy the way, Amelinha was fundamental in the capillarization of truth commissions across Brazil, at the municipal, state, and university levels."
Moved, Eleonora recalls her friend's activism in women's and feminist movements: "Amelinha never gave up the fight. Amelinha is responsible for the foundation and organization of the Union of Women, for the construction of the Commission of Relatives of Political Disappeared and Murdered Persons. A fighter, a battler for the State's compensation process for all of us who were imprisoned and tortured."
Teles was also one of the project's ideators and coordinators, Popular Legal Promotors, an initiative that, for over 30 years, has provided training and knowledge about combating violence against women to various territories. Eleonora highlights that her friend had a profile of activism focused on social political militancy.
Eleonora and Amelinha met in their youth in Belo Horizonte. Both were born in Minas Gerais. They were also imprisoned together in the Tiradentes Prison during a period of military dictatorship. Inside, they shared their experiences as mothers separated from their children. They were released on the same day.
"We met by chance at a nursing student congress in Salvador. Both of us, without knowing that one would be there, was very emotional. At the same table to speak about the struggle for the legalization of abortion. Wow, how symbolic. It was very important," Eleonora remembers.
For the former minister, Teles' legacy is immeasurable and the best way to honor her is with "a lot of reverence and a lot of strength from the social movement," with the dialogue and firmness that Amelinha always had.
Well Living Conversation
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