Articles written by Nathan Siegel:
‘The City is Ours!’ A Protest for Rio’s Public Spaces
Mar 24th
Last Saturday, March 15th, a few hundred spirited citizens gathered in unity to protest the wave of privatization that is accompanying Rio’s preparations for next year’s World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games, in a march from Praça Saens Peña in Tijuca to the Maracanã stadium.
The event, named ‘The City is Ours!,’ was organized by the Popular Committee for the World Cup and Olympics, an organization created to chronicle and redress the violence, abuses and illegalities in the run-up to the events. As the band began playing, brightly-colored facepaint, stickers, t-shirts and pamphlets circulated, journalists interviewed and took notes, and banners with More >
Favela do Metrô’s Slow Eviction Continues
Feb 22nd
Over two years after the eviction of Favela Metrô-Mangueira, also known as Favela do Metrô, began in November 2010–to make way for what was rumored to be a car park to accompany the Maracanã stadium for next year’s World Cup and the 2016 Olympics–the brutal process continues. And residents and the public are still in the dark as to what the site will be used for.
Since the initial evictions began, the once peaceful community has been relocated in three groups, dependent mostly on their willingness and ability to resist the City government’s constant pressure. The first group of 107 families, often elderly and More >
North Zone Carnival: Parading with Favo de Acari Samba School
Feb 17th
It was 1 am and after hours of parading from other schools, it was finally our turn. The music began and we started dancing and singing. “If you don’t know the words, just move your mouth and act excited,” we were told. Our costumes had angel wings to symbolize peace activism, our section in the song that told the story of Acari’s history, composed for carnival this year alone. Previous verses of the song told of a tumultuous history of drug trafficking and police relations. Our costumes’ resemblance to something David Bowie might wear was undeniable, and I can only hope More >
