This English subtitled mini-documentary is the final product of our award-winning, year-long reporting project, Rooting Anti-Racism in the Favelas: Deconstructing Social Narratives About Racism in Rio de Janeiro.
The above mini-doc brings together a mosaic of grassroots voices that participated in the “Rooting Anti-Racism in the Favelas: Deconstructing Social Narratives About Racism in Rio de Janeiro” project, realized throughout 2021 and into 2022 by RioOnWatch. Testimonials show how the reporting series resulted in a comprehensive anti-racist action across the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, having the African concept of Sankofa, from the Akan people, as a narrative platform. “San” refers to “to return, to go back,” “Ko” refers to “to go” and “Fa” to “to look, to seek, to get.” Sakofa means that it is not taboo to go back and retrieve what you have forgotten, on the contrary, it is necessary to retrieve and reconnect with our history in order to move forward in the world.
In the mini-documentary, series authors and illustrators share what it was like to develop and participate in the project: to produce anti-racist narratives, as well as to occupy space as black and favela communicators, addressing the anti-racist struggle from their territories and experiences that are intensely marked by the structural and historical effects of racism in Brazil.
In the Rooting Anti-Racism in the Favelas series, articles, illustrations, videos, and podcasts were published weekly—in Portuguese and English—debating race in Brazil from the perspective of favela residents. Overall, 51 communicators were involved in the production of 45 original illustrations, 44 texts—16 of them investigative—20 podcast episodes, and 10 videos. Of the participants, 86% were black and 67% were from 24 different favelas across Greater Rio, one in São Paulo and one in Salvador. Women contributed to 56% of published content and 68% of illustrations.
The video highlights 20 of the 51 authors that built the anti-racist project. Due to the Omicron variant, the production was recorded and edited remotely. Most of the communicators filmed themselves and sent the material for editing by the video production team. Others, however, preferred to film on the rooftop of the Roots in Movement Institute in Complexo do Alemão, following health protocols.
The anti-racist reporting project was completed in February 2022, just as it received Silver in the inaugural Anthem Awards, in the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion category, intended for works of great social impact around the world. “Rooting Anti-Racism in the Favelas: Deconstructing Social Narratives About Racism in Rio de Janeiro” was recognized among the best local awareness programs in the world, alongside initiatives by major international organizations.
Watch the Mini-doc here.
About the editor and screenwriter: David Amen was born and raised in Complexo do Alemão, is co-founder and communications producer at the Roots in Movement Institute, a journalist, graffiti artist, and illustrator.
About the screenwriter: Tatiana Lima is a journalist and grassroots communicator at heart. A black feminist, member of Complexo do Alemão’s Researchers in Movement Study Group, she works as a special reporter at RioOnWatch. A fair-skinned black woman, born and raised in a favela, Lima currently lives in Rio’s periphery and is a doctoral student at the Fluminense Federal University (UFF).
This English subtitled mini-documentary is the final product of our award-winning, year-long reporting project, Rooting Anti-Racism in the Favelas: Deconstructing Social Narratives About Racism in Rio de Janeiro.