Her win has been viewed as a great triumph for Brazil, not only because it's their first gold medal of the games, but because of where she has come from, (her background) and the colour of her skin.
In Brazil, being black ( or having dark skin) is often viewed with disdain.
An unfortunate aspect of Brazil which harks back to African chattel slavery.
( Rafaela has reported in the past that she has been the recipient of numerous racist messages - and ironically, she isn't even that dark skinned;
that's how deep rooted colorism and anti dark skin sentiment can be)
Brazil's wonderful opening ceremony paid homage to the contribution of Africans, which was great, but changing hearts and minds is rarely as 'easy' as planning or putting on a show.
If only it was.
The notorious slums of Brazil, the Favelas, are no doubt filled with talent. Talent, black skins and the desire for change.
But they can also be filled with hope.
It doesn't matter where you come from or how poor you start out
It may be the beginning of the journey but it doesn't have to be the end
You're a star baby
Nice 1 girl x
[For More info - see BBC Article]
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