Nearly 500 years ago, African survivors of the transatlantic slave trade built communities of refuge and resistance in Brazil and across Latin America. 

Today, those same lands, known as quilombos, are also some of the most biodiverse places on Earth, thanks to generations of care and knowledge by quilombola communities.

In this special Black Earth episode, our host, Marion, meets with Fran Paula, an inspiring quilombola researcher from Brazil. Fran documents and shares the life-giving agricultural practices that sustain her people.

Together, they explore the links between land, freedom, and healing as the world prepares for the historic COP30 climate conference in Belém, Brazil.

🎧 This conversation is in Brazilian Portuguese and English as we bridge languages, communities, and continents across the Black diaspora. Special thanks to Júlia for the translation! 

💬 Episode chapters:
00:00 – Intro and Fran’s relationship with nature
07:20 – History of quilombo lands
11:50 – Why quilombo territories hold some of the world’s healthiest natural ecosystems
15:40 – What recognition means and why it’s important for quilombola communities
22:00 – The challenges facing quilombola communities in Brazil
25:35 – Why ‘biocultural reparations’ matters to Fran
29:56 – Healing across generations 
40:25 – Fran’s message to leaders and policymakers attending the COP30 climate conference in Brazil

🌍 Listen and subscribe to Black Earth wherever you get your favourite podcasts.

📲 Connect and support Fran Paula - https://www.agriculturaancestral.com/

📲 Connect and support the National Association of Quilombos in Brazil - https://conaq.org.br/ 

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💌 Connect with Black Earth team for partnerships, speaking and media requests: https://www.blackearthpodcast.com/contactus