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The maid-turned-rapper taking on racism in Brazil

When Preta-Rara wrote a viral social media post about her time as a domestic worker in Brazil, she sparked a national conversation about exploitation and abuse.

Preta-Rara is a Brazilian rapper, author, historian – and former maid. In 2016, when she wrote a post on social media about her time as a domestic worker, it went viral, sparking an avalanche of responses from maids all over Brazil sharing stories of the racism, exploitation and abuse they'd experienced at work. She quickly found herself the de facto spokesperson for a movement – using the platform she has in the music industry and on social media to challenge views about domestic work, racism and body shaming in Brazil.

The singer known as Dona Onete proves it's never too late to follow your dreams. She made her first record in 2012 at the age of 73. Since then, the Brazilian great-grandmother has been performing in the US and Europe and touring her home country. Outlook's Gibby Zobel spoke to her in 2017.

Robert Darden is an American professor who's dedicated his life to preserving gospel music. Over the years he's collected 8,000 songs, digitised them and made them available to the public. This interview was first broadcast in 2017.

Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com

Presenter: Andrea Kennedy
Producer: Zoe Gelber

(Photo: Preta-Rara. Credit: NELSON ALMEIDA/AFP via Getty Images)

Available now

41 minutes

Last on

Fri 22 Jul 2022 02:06GMT

Broadcasts

  • Thu 21 Jul 2022 11:06GMT
  • Thu 21 Jul 2022 17:06GMT
  • Thu 21 Jul 2022 21:06GMT
  • Fri 22 Jul 2022 02:06GMT

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