Alzira Rufino and Miriam Alves: Afro-Brazilian writers/activists and issues of race, gender, class and writing

This study seeks to present two women who feature among the leading black Brazilian writers of today. Alzira Rufino and Miriam Alves have both produced works and displayed through critical writings and activities their concern not only with other Brazilian women like themselves, but also with the Afro-Brazilian community on a broader scale. What I seek to do here is to describe them as writers, but especially to situate them within a context of black female militancy as this currently exists in Brazil. Ultimately I seek to establish a link between writing and activism, between literary analyses of society, moves to combat racism and discrimination, and black women’s agency.Este estudo busca apresentar duas mulheres que se destacam entre os mais atuantes escritores brasileiros negros de hoje: Alzira Rufino e Miriam Alves. Essas autoras não apenas produziram trabalhos sobre a temática mulher-negra, como buscam, através de suas críticas, atividades e inquietudes, o debate, a inserção e a atuação na sociedade da comunidade afro-brasileira como um todo