OUR STORY

Poderoza is a biennial conference that takes place on the first Saturday in March. We were founded in 2015 by Terza Silva Lima-Neves and Aminah Fernandes Pilgrim, two scholars and community activists who wanted to create a space for those who identify as Cabo Verdean women to be centered and celebrated. Since the first Poderoza Conference in 2016 which took place at Providence College (USA) we have welcomed hundreds of participants from across the United States, Canada, Europe and Cabo Verde.

The conference addresses the need for focused discourse on important themes and offers a safe, inclusive and equitable environment for Cabo Verdean women’s voices to be heard. Sessions celebrate our accomplishments and address social, political and cultural topics such as self-image, gender, sexuality, health (physical and mental), education, domestic violence, immigration, community building, activism and more. We also celebrate our rich culture with vendors, spoken word, performances, DJs, dancing and food.

MISSION

Poderoza (Poh-Deh-Roh-Zuh) is the Cabo Verdean Kriolu word for empowered woman. Therefore, our primary mission is empowerment with an intersectional approach as we are vehemently committed to promoting equity, equality and respect for all people. Through panel discussions and breakout sessions, participants accomplish the goal of remembering Cabo Verdean women’s individual agency and collective strength. This is an opportunity for networking, exchanging information, resources, educating each other and the world about issues important to us in a format designed for us, by us. We create and offer a critical platform to empower Cabo Verdean women, and influence civic engagement, political debates and policy. Moreover, Poderoza institutionalizes a space in which women encourage one another, making a critical intervention in Cabo Verdean/Cape Verdean Studies with cutting edge, critical gender discussions and scholarship on Cabo Verdean women.

LEGACY

In many ways, Poderoza evolved from the vision of Common Threads, founded in the year 2000 by Gunga Tavares, Dawna M. Thomas, Manuel Gonsalves, and Claire Andrade-Watkins along with Maria Evora, Jeannie Costa, and Tony Lima. All conference themes centered on social and political issues in Cabo Verdean communities.  It was an empowering arena built on past experiences which also gave way to numerous initiatives like the Poderoza Conference.

“Everyone should be free to show their true identity…what they want [and] feel - without worrying about society.”

— Tchinda Andrade, Cabo Verdean LGBTQIA+ Rights Activist

AUDIENCE

Poderoza celebrates the rich human diversity found in race, ethnicity, faith, age, ability status, class, culture, sexual identities and orientation as well as gender identities and expressions. We welcome all persons who consider themselves Kriola/Kriolx/Criola/Cabo Verdeana and any person (Cabo Verdean or not) who is interested in actively supporting our mission and learning more about the experiences of Cabo Verdean women. This includes but is not limited to the Cabo Verdean community In the United States and other diaspora locations, community leaders, activists, advocates, high school and college students, educators, academics and community-based scholars.