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On This Brazilian Black Awareness Day, Watch: ‘The Vision of Black Female State Deputies in Rio de Janeiro on Race, Gender, and Favelas’ [VIDEO]

Clique aqui para Português November 20, 2023—On Brazilian Black Awareness Day, this mini-doc with English subtitles aims to be a historical document in which three Black women in leadership roles within the Rio de Janeiro […]

Bumba-meu-boi Brilho de Lucas Keeps Maranhão Folklore Alive in Rio

By Carol Marinho, Luana de Moraes • Translation by Nina Lebelbaum • November 19, 2023

Clique aqui para Português During the celebration of Brazil’s Folklore Day 2023, we learned more about how the residents of Parada de Lucas, in Rio de Janeiro’s North Zone, continue to breathe life into ‘bumba […]

Rio de Janeiro’s First Housing Cooperative: Explore the History of Shangri-lá In Taquara, Jacarepaguá, West Zone

By Felipe Litsek, Patricia Fernandez • Translation by Staff • November 18, 2023

Clique aqui para Português In the neighborhood of Taquara, in Rio de Janeiro’s West Zone, nestled in a place popularly known as Boiuna, on the edge of a local river, a small community lives out […]

#CommunityMedia

An Homage to Favela Communications Pioneer Zé do Caroço: Community Media, Legacy and Samba [VIDEO]

By Amanda Botelho, Thayná de Souza • Translation by Staff • November 16, 2023

Clique aqui para Português This video report, with English subtitles, relives passages of the life of favela communicator José Mendes da Silva, forever known as Zé do Caroço, whose name resonates in one of […]

Exhibition ‘IGNITE: Where You Seek Action, I Am Spirit’ in Rio de Janeiro’s North Zone Addresses Creative Liberty of Black, Favela, and Peripheral Artists

By Felipe Migliani • Translation by Sana Khan • November 13, 2023

Clique aqui para Português From September 23 to October 28, 2023, the exhibition IGNITE: Where You Seek Action, I am Spirit was held in Vila da Penha, a neighborhood in the North Zone of Rio de Janeiro, […]

RIP ‘Subnormal Agglomerations,’ Part 3: Peripheral Epistemology in the Design of the Census and Presentation of a New Nomenclature

By Julio Santos Filho • Translation by Nathan Bergrin • November 10, 2023

Clique aqui para Português This is the final article in a series of three about how Brazil’s census bureau, IBGE, held an unprecedented week-long workshop to debate how to change the term “subnormal agglomeration” used […]

RIP ‘Subnormal Agglomerations,’ Part 3: Peripheral Epistemology in the Design of the Census and Presentation of a New Nomenclature

By Julio Santos Filho • Translation by Nathan Bergrin • November 10, 2023

RIP ‘Subnormal Agglomerations,’ Part 2: Housing Rights and Favela Stigma in the Official Nomenclature

By Julio Santos Filho • Translation by Nathan Bergrin • November 9, 2023

Clique aqui para Português This is the second article in a series of three about how Brazil’s census bureau, IBGE, held an unprecedented week-long workshop to debate how to change the term “subnormal agglomeration” used […]

RIP ‘Subnormal Agglomerations,’ Part 1: Local Diversity, Strength, and Belonging in a New Official Term

By Julio Santos Filho • Translation by Ezra Spira-Cohen • November 8, 2023

Clique aqui para Português This is the first article in a series of three about how Brazil’s census bureau, IBGE, held an unprecedented week-long workshop to debate how to change the term “subnormal agglomeration” used […]

RIP ‘Subnormal Agglomerations,’ Part 2: Housing Rights and Favela Stigma in the Official Nomenclature

By Julio Santos Filho • Translation by Nathan Bergrin • November 9, 2023

RIP ‘Subnormal Agglomerations,’ Part 1: Local Diversity, Strength, and Belonging in a New Official Term

By Julio Santos Filho • Translation by Ezra Spira-Cohen • November 8, 2023

Could It Be the End of Abandonment? Residents Join Hands to Revitalize ‘A Little Piece of Heaven’, in Turano Favela [IMAGES]

By Carla Regina • Translation by Nina Lebelbaum • November 8, 2023

Clique aqui para Português Concerned by the neglect facing Pedacinho do Céu, or “Little Piece of Heaven”, as the area atop the Rio de Janeiro favela Morro do Turano is known, current and former residents […]

Sowing Emotions and Printing Histories: Sèmanou Lionel’s ‘Agudás’ Project Brings African Art Education to Rio’s Favelas [VIDEO]

By Amanda Botelho • Translation by Staff • October 26, 2023

Clique aqui para Português This video tells the story of Sèmanou Lionel, 35, an immigrant to Brazil from Benin in West Africa. Lionel is an artist, photographer, and cameraman who has lived in Brazil since 2011. […]

Rio de Janeiro City Council Launches First Ever Special Commission to Combat Racism

By Amanda Baroni Lopes • Translation by Cristina Fornara • May 26, 2023

Clique aqui para Português On May 5, Rio de Janeiro City Council members launched a Special Commission to Combat Racism at the Museum of Afro-Brazilian History and Culture (MUHCAB). This parliamentary working group is made […]

Promotional photo from the documentary, “Rio, Negro”

‘Rio, Negro’ Documentary Presents the Critical Role of Afro-Brazilian Historical Figures and Little Africa in Building Brazil [FILM REVIEW]

By Cleyton Santanna • Translation by Angus Beazley • May 13, 2023

Clique aqui para Português Memories propel us. They shake us from our unquestioning routines. They come out of nowhere, directly connecting past and present, without asking permission, seizing us with possibilities for projecting futures, questioning […]

Brazil’s Catholic Church as an Ally: Favelas Pastoral Committee Celebrates 46 Years Defending Housing Rights in Rio de Janeiro

By Mario Brum • Translation by Staff • October 25, 2023

Clique aqui para Português In 2023, the Favelas Pastoral Committee celebrates its 46th anniversary. A Catholic Church institution, the Pastoral Committee holds a rich history of supporting the struggles of Rio de Janeiro’s favela residents. A […]

8th Black July: Insurgent Media Unites Brazil and Palestine in Fight Against State Violence

By Amanda Baroni Lopes • Translation by Staff • August 10, 2023

Clique aqui para Português On July 25, the livestream event “Insurgent Communication: From Brazil to Palestine” was held as part of the Eighth Black July, an international initiative aimed at combating violence, the militarization of life, racism, and apartheid. In 2023, […]

Casa Dulce Seixas: The First and Only LGBTQIAPN+ Refuge in the Baixada Fluminense Offers Hope and Transformation

By João Victor Silva • Translation by Cristina Fornara • June 30, 2023

Clique aqui para Português This is our latest article in a series created in partnership with the Behner Stiefel Center for Brazilian Studies at San Diego State University, to produce articles for the Digital Brazil Project on water issues and the […]

Understanding Energy Justice and Efficiency in Rio’s Favelas [VIDEO]

By Jaqueline Suarez • Translation by Pilar Boyero • December 13, 2021

Watch the video that summarizes the Energy Justice and Efficiency Series with English subtitles here: Clique aqui para Português This article and the video above offer a summary and conclusion to the series ‘Energy […]

Pedra Branca and the Energy Dilemmas of Rio’s Urbanization: From Charcoal to Electricity

By Antonio Alonso, Iamni Torres Jager • Translation by Trisha Ponti • November 1, 2021

Clique aqui para Português This article is part of a series on energy justice and efficiency in Rio’s favelas. It is also the latest contribution to our year-long reporting project, “Rooting Anti-Racism in the Favelas: Deconstructing […]

Energy That Comes From Waste: Biodigester Turns Sewage into Biogas in Vale Encantado Favela [VIDEO]

By Jaqueline Suarez • Translation by Saskia Wright • August 1, 2021

Clique aqui para Português This English subtitled documentary is the latest contribution to our series on energy justice and efficiency in Rio’s favelas. It is also part of a series created in partnership with […]

Could It Be the End of Abandonment? Residents Join Hands to Revitalize ‘A Little Piece of Heaven’, in Turano Favela [IMAGES]

By Carla Regina • Translation by Nina Lebelbaum • November 8, 2023

When Memories Collide: ‘Favela Climate Memory’ Exhibition Launched by Rio de Janeiro’s Sustainable Favela Network [VIDEO]

By Bárbara Dias • Translation by Kay Alvito, Ujwala Murthy • September 30, 2023

Clique aqui para Português On Saturday, June 17, Vila Autódromo in Rio de Janeiro’s West Zone hosted the launch of the Climate Memory of the Favelas Exhibition, organized by community museum members of the […]

Favela Climate Memory Circles, Part 5: Vidigal Memories Nucleus Pleads ‘People Need a Place to Live!’

By Rita de Cássia Machado • Translation by Cristina Fornara • September 29, 2023

Clique aqui para Português On June 17, 2023, Rio de Janeiro’s Sustainable Favela Network (SFN)* launched its Favela Climate Memory Exhibition, the culmination of five day-long climate memory circles held by favela community museums between […]

Between the Political Right and Left, I Choose the Quilombo! [OPINION]

By Jeferson Rodrigues • Translation by Sharonya Vadakattu • March 3, 2022

Clique aqui para Português This article is the latest contribution to our award-winning reporting project, Rooting Anti-Racism in the Favelas: Deconstructing Social Narratives About Racism in Rio de Janeiro. We hear about “right” and “left” all the time. […]

A Deeply Personal In-Depth Account of the Typical Racism of Domestic Work in Brazil

By Neuza Nascimento • Translation by Fred Hanson • February 28, 2022

Clique aqui para Português This article is the latest contribution to our award-winning reporting project, Rooting Anti-Racism in the Favelas: Deconstructing Social Narratives About Racism in Rio de Janeiro. This story, told by writer and former domestic worker […]