Erica Malunguinho da Silva is a Brazilian politician elected into state congress in 2018. She made history by being the first transgender person to be elected to that body in Brazil in its over 180 years of existence.

Da Silva created the urban quilombo Aparelha Luzia, a black cultural space that brings people of African descent together in solidarity, and is also a space for art, discussion, and performances surrounding the idea of blackness and black culture.

Shortly after high school, da Silva moved to Sao Paulo and began to embrace her transgender identity through her official transition. After graduating from the University of Sao Paulo, she spent time working as an artist, activist, and educator. Da Silva’s election platform had five major features: Political Renewal, Enlargement of the Debate, the idea of the Quilombo, Fundamental Rights, and Political Challenges.

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