‘boa aparencia’ means ‘good appearance’ in portuguese and is a common requirement for any applying for employment in Brazil.

Many know this is code for ‘whites or lights only.’ The fact that resumes in Latin America come with a picture, makes discrimination and the continuation of institutionalized racism that much easier. Natural hair? Just relegate yourself to the unemployment line indefinitely. In Peru, even when there was a casting call that asked for Afro-Peruvians (which is shocking in and of itself) but wanted ‘morena’ not Black of African origin. A supposed “mixed” look, brown but not too “black.”