Brazilian occupational apartheid: historical legacy and prospects for occupational therapists

BACKGROUND: Since the colonization of Brazil in 1500, systemic, institutional, and relational racism has produced inequalities for its black and indigenous people. This legacy perpetuates white supremacy and intensifies social inequalities. PURPOSE: This Opinion Piece aims to raise reflexivity on racism in Brazil and its impacts on the occupations of black people within the context of occupational apartheid. KEY ISSUES: We start exploring social justice and occupational justice concepts to map a methodological path for the theoretically informed discussion. Then, we discuss the concept of collective occupations as a possibility for intervention in the face of racial inequalities and introduce some occupational therapy practices to exemplify strategies to tackle the identified challenges. IMPLICATIONS: We conclude by showing that the field of ethnic-racial relations is still only minimally explored in Brazilian occupational therapy. We also point out some possibilities for further studies in the area.