# Matilde Ribeiro > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Matilde_Ribeiro > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Matilde_Ribeiro.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matilde_Ribeiro > Source revision: 1355728247 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Matilde Ribeiro** (born July 29, 1960, in [Flórida Paulista](/source/Fl%C3%B3rida_Paulista)) is a Brazilian social worker and political activist. In 2008, she was [Chief Minister](/source/Chief_Minister) of the SEPPIR in the [first presidency of Lula da Silva](/source/First_presidency_of_Lula_da_Silva).[1] She is noteworthy for promoting [racial quotas](/source/Racial_quota) to address systemic inequality in Brazil.[2] ## Career Born in a low-income family, she graduated with a degree in [social work](/source/Social_work) from the [Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo](/source/Pontifical_Catholic_University_of_S%C3%A3o_Paulo). She published articles in various feminist journals such as *Estudos feministas*.[3] After graduating, she worked with the [Workers' Party](/source/Workers'_Party_(Brazil)) (PT) and worked on their campaign for the [2002 Brazilian general election](/source/2002_Brazilian_general_election), which won her an invitation from the victorious [Lula da Silva](/source/Lula_da_Silva).[4] From 21 March 2003 until 6 February 2008, she served as the [Special Secretariat for Policies to Promote Racial Equality](/source/Special_Secretariat_for_Policies_to_Promote_Racial_Equality) (Portuguese: *Secretaria de Políticas de Promoção da Igualdade Racial*, SEPPIR), which has ministerial status. She was in [Manaus](/source/Manaus) in April 2005 at the first State Conference for the Promotion of Racial Equality, which was marked by protests of the [mestizo](/source/Mestizo) movement against the policy of non-recognition of [Caboclon](/source/Caboclo) identity. In 2007, she was serving as Minister for Racial Equality.[5] She drew controversy for stating in a [BBC](/source/BBC) interview that "it's not racism when a black person rebels against a white person," and that "[a] black person's reaction of not wanting to live with a white person, or not liking a white person, […] is natural."[6] Federal prosecutors investigated her on charges of inciting racial violence but found, when presented with the full interview, that her words had been taken out of context.[7] Following this controversy, new reporting alleged that Ribeiro had the largest credit card reimbursements of any of Brazil's ministers, said to be seven times greater than the second highest spender.[8] *AfroPress* accused the news media of racism, saying that such credit cards were available to thousands of civil servants with far higher expenditures in total.[9] In February 2008, she resigned from office, pressured by the media over these irregular expenditures. She was succeeded by [Edson Santos](/source/Edson_Santos). More recently she has been employed as an assistant professor at the [University for International Integration of the Afro-Brazilian Lusophony](/source/University_for_International_Integration_of_the_Afro-Brazilian_Lusophony).[10] ## References 1. ["Matilde Ribeiro já está no Palácio do Planalto para reunião com Lula"](https://extra.globo.com/noticias/brasil/matilde-ribeiro-ja-esta-no-palacio-do-planalto-para-reuniao-com-lula-456194.html) (in Brazilian Portuguese). *Extra Online*. 1 February 2008. Retrieved 23 January 2025. 1. Geral, Arquivo (7 June 2007). ["Ministra defende cotas raciais como forma de democratizar acesso ao ensino superior"](https://jornaldebrasilia.com.br/noticias/brasil/ministra-defende-cotas-raciais-como-forma-de-democratizar-acesso-ao-ensino-superior/) (in Brazilian Portuguese). *Jornal de Brasília* 1. RIBEIRO, Matilde. [Mulheres negras brasileiras de Bertioga a Beijing](https://web.archive.org/web/20150630123140/https://www.rbcdh.ufsc.br/index.php/ref/article/viewFile/16459/15033). Estudos feministas, v. 3, n. 2, p. 446, 1995. 1. ["NOTÍCIAS - Matilde Ribeiro"](https://g1.globo.com/Noticias/Politica/0,,MUL11020-5601,00.html). *Globo*. Retrieved 16 June 2025. 1. Bureau of Public Affairs Department Of State. (25 October 2007). ["Photo: Secretary Rice With Matilde Ribeiro, Minister for Racial Equality of the Federative Republic of Brazil"](https://2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/ei/pix/2007/94234.htm). *2001-2009.state.gov*. The Office of Electronic Information. Retrieved 23 January 2025. 1. ["Não é racismo se insurgir contra branco, diz ministra"](https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/reporterbbc/story/2007/03/070326_ministramatildedb). *BBC Brasil*. March 27, 2007. 1. Criação, VF2 Agência de (19 January 2008). ["MPF/DF arquiva investigação contra Matilde Ribeiro por racismo - Dir. Processual Penal"](https://www.correioforense.com.br/dir-processual-penal/mpfdf-arquiva-investigacao-contra-matilde-ribeiro-por-racismo/) (in Brazilian Portuguese). *Correio Forense* 1. ["Secretaria da Igualdade Racial lidera despesas :: Gazeta do Povo Online"](http://portal.rpc.com.br/gazetadopovo/impressa/brasil/conteudo.phtml?tl=1&id=728790&tit=Secretaria-da-Igualdade-Racial-lidera-despesas). *Gazeta do Povo*. 31 January 2008. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20080227011716/http://portal.rpc.com.br/gazetadopovo/impressa/brasil/conteudo.phtml?tl=1&id=728790&tit=Secretaria-da-Igualdade-Racial-lidera-despesas) 27 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine. 1. ["O caso do cartão da ministra e o papel de bode expiatório"](https://www.afropress.com/post.asp?id=13721). *AfroPress*. 29 January 2008. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20150709090044/https://www.afropress.com/post.asp?id=13721) 9 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine. 1. ["Matilde Ribeiro vista Sepromi | SEPROMI – Secretaria de Promoção da Igualdade Racial do Governo do Estado da Bahia"](http://www.igualdaderacial.ba.gov.br/2015/03/matilde-ribeiro-vista-sepromi/) (in Brazilian Portuguese). *www.igualdaderacial.ba.gov.br*. 19 March 2015. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20150618214535/http://www.igualdaderacial.ba.gov.br/2015/03/matilde-ribeiro-vista-sepromi/) 18 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine. --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Matilde Ribeiro](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matilde_Ribeiro) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matilde_Ribeiro?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.