Being an indigenous woman and mother at university

Challenges and perspectives of an agronomy student

Abstract

To diversify work options and strengthen indigenous women's political and social position, it is essential to invest in their professional training. One of the ways to contribute to this training has been to facilitate these women's access to federal education networks and courses in the agricultural area, which have the potential to offer them training. However, it is also necessary to reflect on the difficulties faced by these women in remaining at university, especially those who are mothers. This collective and autobiographical writing exercise by the first author aims to reflect the issues related to her stay at the university from her experience as an agronomy student, indigenous person, and mother. This work helps to think about a truly inclusive academy: creative, which values affection, which redistributes power, and which is restorative and transformative. Indigenous motherhood is an invitation to the university to welcome and promote the well-being of mothers, subject to rights, occupying spaces that democratically belong to everyone.