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Latest News
  • [ May 31, 2026 ] Critical Urban Park in Rio de Janeiro’s North Zone Is at Risk of Disappearing After Decades of Government Neglect by Community Contributors
  • [ May 27, 2026 ] ‘We Belong to the Land’: An Interview With John Mussington on the Urgency of Learning from Barbuda’s Communal Land System [VIDEO] #GentrificationWatch
  • [ May 25, 2026 ] As the World Cup Kicks Off Across North America, Communities in Host Cities Are Pushing Back Against Rising Rents—With a Tool Born in the Civil Rights Movement [RELEASE] #GentrificationWatch
  • [ May 21, 2026 ] ‘We Cannot Allow Cities To Be Emptied of Their True Citizens’: Princess Abze Djigma of Burkina Faso Visits Rio’s Cândido Mendes Mansion #GentrificationWatch
  • [ May 15, 2026 ] Complex and Intelligent, the Favela Has Its Own Geography *Highlight
HomeFavela Culture

Favela Culture

*Highlight

‘What Favela Did You Build in Your Minds?’ Black Filmmakers Discuss ‘City of God’ [VIDEO]

By Cleyton Santanna • Translation by Gianna Giordani, Malena Galuccio • March 10, 2021

 Clique aqui para Português This English subtitled mini-documentary is the latest contribution to our year-long reporting project, “Rooting Anti-Racism in the Favelas: Deconstructing Social Narratives About Racism in Rio de Janeiro.” The starting point for ‘What […]

Original artwork by David Amen
*Highlight

The Key to the Cage: Funk as the Liberating Art of Favela Bodies [PODCAST] 

By Artur Vinicius Amaro • Translation by Mikayla Ribeiro • March 5, 2021

Clique aqui para Português This article is the latest contribution to our year-long reporting project, “Rooting Anti-Racism in the Favelas: Deconstructing Social Narratives About Racism in Rio de Janeiro.” Follow our Rooting Anti-Racism in the […]

#CommunityMedia

Favela Poets Share Narratives on their Lives and Territory in Unmissable Four-Act Sound Piece

By Gianna Giordani • March 4, 2021

Clique aqui para Português In times of sadness, anxiety and uncertainty, six diverse and multidisciplinary artists hailing from the favelas of Complexo da Maré have been a beacon of light in the darkness. In a […]

by Community Contributors

Veiled Racism in the Criminalization of Carioca Funk, Part 2: ‘Don’t Try To Destroy This!’ [VIDEO]

By Ingra Maciel • Translation by Jiselle Steele • March 2, 2021

Clique aqui para Português This is the second of two articles on the criminalization of funk music and oppression of black favela culture (read the first here). This second piece covers statements from MC Poze, […]

*Highlight

Veiled Racism in the Criminalization of Carioca Funk, Part 1: ‘Let the Favela Win, Shine!’

By Ingra Maciel • Translation by Constance Malleret • February 26, 2021

Clique aqui para Português This is the first of two articles on the criminalization of funk music and oppression of black favela culture. Read part 2 here. The Judiciary and the Criminalization of Funkeiros “Let […]

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RioOnWatch’s anti-racist reporting series won silver in the 2022 inaugural The Anthem Awards, in the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion category among Best Local Awareness Programs.
A Project of

About

In May 2010, Catalytic Communities launched what was originally Rio Olympics Neighborhood Watch (hence RioOnWatch), a program to bring visibility to favela community voices in the lead-up to the 2016 Rio Olympics. This news site, RioOnWatch.org, grew into a much-needed and unique reference featuring favela perspectives on the urban transformation of Rio. With diverse and deeply interlinked articles by a mix of community reporters, resident opinions, solidarity reporters, international observers, and academic researchers, we work to engender a more accurate picture of favelas, their contributions to the city, and the potential of favela-led community development in Rio and around the world.

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10 Years! Check Out Our Story:

Awards

Special Thanks

Fundação Heinrich Böll Brasil
World Habitat
Fideicomiso de la Tierra Caño Martín Peña
Pastoral de Favelas
Center for CLT Innovation
Global Land Alliance
Ecocity Builders
Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation
SDSU Behner Stiefel Center
The Rio Times
Forum Grita Baixada
Beto Paixão Graphic Design
Architecture Museum of Vienna
Yale School of Architecture

  • Home
    • Highlighted Stories
    • Understanding Rio
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  • Communities
    • Central
    • South Zone
    • North Zone
    • West Zone
    • Greater Rio
  • Policies
    • Public Security
    • Housing
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Health
    • Sanitation
  • Violations
    • Human Rights
    • Housing Rights
    • Police Violence
    • Government Neglect
  • Organizing
    • Community Organizing
    • Community Solution
    • Resistance
    • Sustainability
    • Participation
    • Protest
    • Culture
    • Responsible Tourism
  • Content Map
    • by Community Contributors
    • by Int’l Observers
    • Series
      • Anti-Racist Series
      • Energy Justice Series
    • Event Reports
    • Video Stories
    • Photo-Essays
    • Interviews/Profiles
    • Research & Analysis
    • Reviews
    • Listicles
    • Opinion
    • Reference
    • Podcasts
    • Translated Articles
  • About
    • Timeline
    • Our Reporting Policy
    • License
    • Feedback
  • For Journos
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