Dr Cátia Severino is a linguist and anti-racism activist. Her personal experiences in communities commonly referred to as »retornados« (returnees) led her to focus her academic and activist work on the experiences of Afro-diasporic communities in Portugal in the context of the colonial legacy. She focuses on the persistent legacy of colonial racism and colourism in the shaping of social and cultural hierarchies, as well as in the formation of national identities and the recognition of places of belonging.