Epistemic justice in bilingual schools: a Brazilian journey to decoloniality

This article examines how the coloniality of power, knowledge, and being shapes Brazilian bilingual education through an autobiographical narrative grounded in my work as the academic director of a global network of bilingual schools. Using personal narratives as analytical tools, I explore the tensions that emerge when Brazil participates in transnational educational projects often guided by Global North epistemologies. The article reflects on moments of resistance to reductive cultural representations, negotiations around academic authority, and the struggle to assert Brazilian perspectives within global decision-making structures. By analyzing episodes, I show how bilingual education becomes a space where epistemic hierarchies are both reproduced and challenged. The study argues that decolonial praxis within bilingual education requires recognizing these tensions, valuing situated knowledge, and fostering more equitable forms of collaboration. Ultimately, the article calls for a paradigm shift that embraces epistemological diversity and strengthens the presence of Brazilian voices in global educational discourse.