The article explores the relevance of the colour/race variable in contexts of poverty. It sets out from an analysis of data taken from the research study "Associativism and social networks: conditions and determining factors in the access to social policies by lowincome populations", conducted by the Metropolitan Studies Centre of the Brazilian Analysis and Planning Centre. The study in question included two surveys, one in the district of Cidade Tiradentes, in São Paulo Municipality, and the other in Bairro da Paz, in Salvador, both of which investigated aspects relating to socioeconomic composition, sociability, employment and access to public services abd benefits. Consequently it provides valuable input to the debate on the theme of relations between race and class in the understanding of inequalities.
Racial inequality; Poverty; Cidade Tiradentes; Bairro da Paz
