Pride and Dignity

The history of a family that starts in the 19th Century with the Viscount of Itaboray and an enslaved Black woman with whom he has a son and gives him a refined education. The author, a great-great-granddaughter of the Viscount racounts how the history of Brazil and the world interwoven with her family. Based on facts passed down from generation to generation, the story begins in1934 with the first meeting of her parents: Cecilia, the descendant of the Viscount, and her romance with Tancredo,, the scion of a traditional family of coffee barons. Tancredo is a communist leader who is persecuted by Getulio Vargas' dictatorship in the 1930/1940's and later by the military dictatorship in the 1960's. All this is set in the events of history of Brazil and the world, during the times when the characters lived and in which, in one way or another, they took part or were witnesses. The events include the construction of the Madeira-Mamoré railway through the Amazon Rainforest to Bolivia at the beginning of the 1900's; the First World War and the 1918 "Spanish" Flu Pandemic when it is believed 50 million people died and other events during the 20th Century. In flashbacks, the author tells stories, like Alice's, the Viscount's spoiled granddaughter, and the prejudices she experienced as a Black woman in Portugal, to where she moved with her Portuguese husband when he returned to his homeland in 1914. Cecilia's long suffering life, from her childhood to maturity, is at the center of story.

Cecilia meets Tancredo in 1934 but after some months of torrid romance he disappears. She doesn't understands what happened and tries to live her life, but never forgets him. Years later, Tancredo shows up again. He had been imprisoned for political reasons. In flashbacks, the story of Cecilia is told. She is the great-granddaughter of the Viscount of Itaboray, a Portuguese nobleman who went to Brazil with Don João VI, the King of Portugal, when the latter fled from Napoleon's invasion of Portugal and other European countries. After his arrival in Brazil, the Viscount impregnated an enslaved Black woman, but took good care of his only son with her, giving him a good education and an inheritance. Cecilia's mother, the Viscount's spoiled granddaughter, marries a Portuguese merchant in Brazil and moves with him to Portugal when he returns to his homeland in 1914. She experiences a lot of prejudice against her as a Black woman and returns to Brazil leaving her four daughters behind in Portugal. The story of Tancredo is also told. He is the scion of a traditional family of Brazilian coffee barons who becomes a communist leader and is later persecuted by President Getúlio Vargas during his dictatorship in the 1930's and 40's. The story is set in the events of history, during the times when the characters lived and in which, in one way or another, they took part or were witnesses. These events include the construction of the Madeira-Mamoré railway through the Amazon Rainforest to Bolívia at the beginning of the 1900's; the First World War and the 1918 "Spanish" Flu Pandemic, when it is believed 50 million people died; the Civil War in Spain and the Brazilian dictatorships in the 1940's, 60's, and 70's.

Sonia Madeira de Ley was born in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Languages (Portuguese and English) from the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro in 1964. In 1968, Sonia travelled to the United States to study in the School for International Living, in Vermont which curriculum included English spoken and written, American Studies and Secretarial Work. Back to Brazil in 1970, she began her graduate studies at night, working during the day to support her family. Sonia received her Law Degree from Faculdades Estácio de Sá in 1975. Ms. Madeira de Ley started her career working in the Rio de Janeiro branch of Coca-Cola International as a bi-lingual secretary but as soon as she got her Law Degree, she was transferred to the Legal Department of the company, where she worked for some years. Because of her outgoing personality and skills not only in Law but also in communication, she was quickly invited to start a Communications Department in the company in 1977. Sonia rose to be the first female executive in the company for all Latin America and Europe, opening an era of opportunities for women in the big corporations. The small Communications Department grew under Sonia's leadership and became the External Affairs Department, comprised of Community Relations, Press Relations and Consumer Relations. Under Ms. Madeira de Ley's leadership, Coca-Cola was the first company in Brazil to start a Call Center for consumers. She implemented several projects to sponsor the arts, theater and books of art and photos of the natural environment. The External Affairs area of the company was also in charge of the incentive trips for Coca-Cola bottlers, giving Sonia the opportunity to travel around the world. Sonia retired in 1997. Since then she has dedicated her time to volunteer work, to reading and writing, and to travel.