Posts tagged profile
Voices of Vila Autódromo: Barrão, the Fisherman
May 16th
Paolo Roberto Ferreira Mezes, known by all as Barrão, moved to Vila Autódromo sixteen years ago. After learning to fish and dedicating himself to the craft, he brought his wife and two young children to the peaceful, lakeside favela in Rio’s West Zone to turn the craft into a living. He decided to swap his home in Vila Valqueire for his brother’s abandoned waterfront property in Vila Autódromo. That way, Barrão was able to fish from his own backyard. In the years following the move, Barrão and his wife welcomed two more children, and they began fostering a loyal client base More >
Voices of Vila Autódromo: José Arimateia, the Baker
Apr 23rd
In 1986, the newlywed José Arimateia moved to Vila Autódromo to buy his first home and to start a family. He moved from his parents’ house in a neighboring community, Vila Sapê, though he was born in Paraíba. He and his wife, Maria das Dores Catanduba de Andrade, were the first of their families to move to Vila Autódromo, a small favela in Rio’s West Zone, which they chose for its safety and peacefulness. Now, 27 years later, their success and happiness have drawn a dozen family members to move to their beloved community.
When José first moved to Vila Autódromo, he More >
An Interview with City of God’s Iara Oliveira
Feb 7th
Cidade de Deus, Rio’s most famous West Zone favela, was made (in)famous thanks to the book and international blockbuster by the same name, City of God. The community today is occupied by a Pacifying Policy Unit (UPP). Here we interview Iara Oliveira, a CDD (as the community is popularly known) teacher and political activist. Iara is coordinator of Alfazendo, a community-based NGO in Cidade de Deus. Alfazendo’s focus is literacy for community residents of all ages, but they also serve as an advocacy organization and provide general educational opportunities and enrichment for the community. Mostly self-educated, Iara has built her career More >
Alemão’s Lenses
Dec 10th
Click here for original article in Portuguese.
“Why toil in the country, in the city? The machine will do it for us. Why think, imagine? The machine will do it for us. Why write a poem? The machine will do it for us. Why climb Jacob’s ladder? The machine will do it for us.
Oh machine, pray for us.”
Litany, by Cassiano Ricardo
With dramatic intonation, Seu Rodrigues recites a few verses of this poem. Not many photographers pay tribute to their camera during an interview. But 58-year old Manoel Rodrigues Moura, photographer and resident of the Complexo do Alemão community, has a special reason to do so. Seven years ago he partially More >
After the House Was Torn Down
Nov 24th
For original story in Portuguese in Pública, click here.
“They don’t destroy just the house. They destroy that person’s entire life, their plans, and projects,” states Elisângela Sena, 38, who has experienced the drama caused by Rio de Janeiro’s planning of future mega-events. Resident of Pavão-Pavãozinho, located in the South Zone between the wealthy neighborhoods of Copacabana and Ipanema, Elisângela witnessed her house literally fall to the ground in 2010. Two years later her story became a documentary, and she is still waiting for a new house, indemnities, follow-up from an aide of the Municipal Housing Secretary, and a phone call from More >
