Teacher in Brazil Uses Education to Empower

The fight for social justice is an everyday reality in Brazil, said Francisco José de Alencar Costa. Francisco lives in Várzea Alegre in the state of Ceará in northeast Brazil. In this region, the majority of the population has a monthly income that is around half the minimum wage.

In this town of roughly 32,000 people, Francisco works as an educator, and he says to be an effective teacher, you must always be striving to learn more. This way, he says, you can impart additional knowledge on the young people in your community and that is the best way to make a positive impact and see change.

“I am sharing what I experienced and am developing activities around the subject of social justice to open people’s eyes and their minds,” Francisco says. “I am using the most powerful tool I have – education – to fight for social justice. I am a teacher and that means I am changing lives everyday everywhere I go.”

Francisco was able to sign up for the Michigan Online course “Community Organizing for Social Justice” thanks to a course sponsorship through the U.S. Embassy in Brazil and the Grupo mais Unidos organization, a collaborative social investment fund providing training and education opportunities to young professionals in Brazil.

The course examines core concepts of social justice and practical steps for bringing people together to set goals and priorities, assess community assets and needs, develop action plans, and build support for implementation.

The six-week course is taught by Barry Checkoway, professor emeritus in the School of Social Work and the Alfred Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning. Checkoway also contributed to the Community Awareness course “What is a Socially Just University” and the Teach-Out “Community Organization for Social Justice.”

Francisco says he came away from the course inspired and committed to continuing to spread education and social justice messages everywhere he goes.

“The will to transform the society we live in into one where people can have equal opportunities,” he says. “Furthermore, I want a tolerant, peaceful, inclusive, and supportive society. My life goal is to help people, offer opportunities, and forge new paths for children and young people. Two ways to make that happen are through fighting for social justice and to fighting for education.”

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  Course

  Community Organizing for Social Justice

  Develop strategies for building grassroots movements, setting goals, and organizing for justice in diverse, democratic communities.

  6 weeks
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  Course

  Community Awareness: What is a Socially Just University

  Learn about the history, causes, and reform efforts surrounding police violence and systemic racism in the United States.

  8 weeks