worker, an teacher, lives in one of Sao Paolo's many shantytowns. She is one of the PT's candidates for Tell us a bit about your own story and struggles.
In 1972 I helped to found the agricultural workers' union town back in the north-east Brazil, together with my brother.
We became the regional delegates ano worker o build up the agricultural WOIKCIS contidence knowledge of their rights.
In 1976 husband came down to Sao Paulo, because the drought back home. Two months later he got run over. so came after him. I left my FACING a nationwide general strike, the Bolivian military junta agreed on 17 September to withdraw from power. It announced that the congress dispersed by the military coup of July 1980 would be reconvened.
Early in elected a civilian president and vice-president, an ex-agricultural ex-metalworker and a literacy children my parents and got a job in a rubber factory.
I rented a house and in six months managed to gel together enough money to back and 2C1 the children. After year I couldn't afford the rent any longer. I sold my little place back in the Nora-east DOULAL SONC wood, and built . a shack which I'm still living in today.
My political activity began religious mass. I said a praver for the workers. the congress met and called me up for a chat and i've never looked back since. In 1975 and '76 there was area ton ouses the neighbourhood. That was the first one I got involved in here.
Then I took part in getling une big cost or Living Movement off the ground in '77-78. From 1977 I was working as metal worker at the Brasimel factory, and got involved Ill tie wages callpag i 1978.
The following year I helped to prepare the first strikes, but didn't take myself because my brother was murdered back home and I had to go there.
He was president of the local agricultural workers' and had been threatened by a big lanWe never found the man who killed him, but we know he was sent by this boss.
What about the shanty. town movement?
In 1979 WElC already a Sao of shanty-town organisations and were getting up to 14 people each week to our That's still going. I'm also involved in the workers organisation the Catholic Church, and I'm a delegate to ANAM POS, the co-ordination of grass-roots community groups.
the shanty-town dwellers, we realised the importance of being able read and write, and organised a literacy camwhere the instructors are chosen by the shanty-town dwellers themselves.
being H8S brought special ficulties?
When Wal agricultural workers' back often couldn't find anyone Lo co uto lown will lic. ! travelled 12 miles home on MULOCOOLS bulletille with a child People criticised me a lot. Mostly the men. They said I wasn't a responsible woman 1021 women didn't do that of SOTT WOrK The other women only ever went out at their husbands' sides.
It's a bit better in the countryside now , but then couldn't ever keep herself clean and put they'd say she was chasing Striking metal workers in Brazil: 'the workers united will never be defeated.' At the factories here in Sao Paulo, like all the nev yvulz women that get taken on, i I had a lot of pestering from the boss or his sons or of the managers. But I soon told them where to get off.
Some people in the Sao Paulo women's movement 88V ThaT morning class Women women the shanty-towns equal I that they're in.
Lovestbe m Is ust wades on. What do you think of this?
Just imagine! Women in the shanties are even more discriminated against and disrespected To say they're only terested in conditions and creches is a lie. They want to be respected as women.
What about your stan.
ADE:
ding for election?
agreed because I saw it as a chance to turn this space opened up. by the election campaign into a space for mobilising around strug gles that are already going on. Of course we will fight with the aim of winning, but I've got no interest being elected. What I'm interested in is helping to SUCELLICI Urgallisa tion of the Party. around mur mobilising your campaign Wherever meetings, the majority there are always women. I can feel their pleasure at a woman standing. They're coming out much more since I began my cam paign, feeling more confident and taking a more ac "ive part.
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the State Assembly. What follows is a shorten- ed version of an interview with her which ap- peared in Em Tempo, a revolutionary marxist paper which supports the PT.
РИМЕНЙ: IDA