Post by Sunamita Anunciação

Today is Keti Koti — the day we commemorate the abolition of slavery in the former Dutch colonies in 1863. What few people know is that before that, the Netherlands occupied the region where I’m from in Brazil for nearly 30 years, significantly scaling the Atlantic slave trade during that period. History connects us in ways we rarely learn about. Living in Rotterdam, this day carries a particular weight for me — as a Brazilian, as someone from a region shaped by this history, and as someone who believes that understanding the past is essential to building a more equitable future. For those who want to learn more, this documentary is a powerful and well-made starting point: