On the one hand, the story of the nationalists, the struggle against colonialism, independence.
Through them we can understand reality, what life was like in these countries during the colonial era and the control strategies. The hidden life, the programme Angola Combatant, the post-independence. On the other, the generation that inherited a revolutionary past and that denounces current injustices. Between them, the cultural issue, literature, music, theatre and communication, languages that express collective pain and create movements.
MARTA LANÇA
Born in Lisbon in 1976. Journalist, translator, editor and producer, she graduated in Modern Languages and Literature, and is a PhD student in Art Studies at the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of Universidade Nova of Lisbon. She created the magazine V-ludo and wrote in various publications such as Ler, newspaper Público, DNA or Le Monde diplomatique. She lived in Cape Verde, Angola, Mozambique and Rio de Janeiro, where she developed cultural projects, and worked in various magazines and publications. She was involved in researching and producing the documentary series and curated Roça Língua, first written residence of Portuguese-speaking authors in São Tomé and Principe. In 2010 she created the portal BUALA and is today the publisher.
ADOLFO MARIA
Born in Luanda in 1935 and since young man he has fought for the independence of Angola, in its cultural, political and armed sectors. He was a member of the board of the Angola Cultural Society and of Cine-Club of Luanda, he integrated the editorial staff of the newspaper Cultura and was a journalist in the Luanda daily ABC. In 1959, he was arrested by PIDE, and years later went into exile, where he was one of the founders and leaders of the Angolan Studies Centre in Algiers. He directed the radio Angola Combatente and the contestation current Revolta Activa, in MPLA. In Portugal and Angola, he has been present in the debate on Africa and has reported the testimonies of the times he lived in war and in exile.
ANABELA RODRIGUES
Descendant of immigrants, she is a mother, poet and activist. Co-coordinator of the Association Grupo Teatro do Oprimido of Lisbon and one of the mentors of the AMI-AFRO, an innovative aesthetic experience on the specifics of the oppression faced by African descendants that addresses artistically silenced topics such as racial, gender and class discrimination.
He is a member of the international network of the Organisations of the Oppressed Theatre of Europe Together (Portugal, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Croatia and the United Kingdom); she was coordinator of non-formal education activities in the Cultural Association Moinho da Juventude (1997–2008) and of the Francis Obikwelu Foundation (2008–2009).
CARLA FERNANDES
Born in Angola and raised in Portugal. She is a journalist and freelance radio producer and blogger. She graduated in Translation of English and German at the Faculty of Arts, University of Lisbon. In 2008, she started a radio course for international journalists at Deutsche Welle Akademie in Bonn and integrated the editorial staff writing in Portuguese for Africa at Radio Deutsche Welle. In late 2013, she returned to Lisbon to do a Master’s Degree in Communication, Culture and Information Technology. A year later, she created the audioblog Radio AfroLis where she addresses issues related to African descent communities living in Lisbon.
VIRGÍLIO VARELA
He holds a master’s degree in Education from King’s College, University of London, diploma in Project Management from the Institute of Leadership and Management. He is an entrepreneur and trainer/consultant in Social Innovation tools. He developed social projects and training in Portugal, England, France and Brazil. Since 1995 he has been working with young people and created a Youth Arts Program combining dance, music and theatre. In 2011 he released Do Something Portugal, a project of young volunteers to inspire social change. He is a songwriter and author of the television sketch Social Innovators in RTP Africa.