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Latest News
  • [ March 16, 2026 ] Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes Sells Off Iconic Green Spaces [REFERENCE] #InterventionWatch
  • [ March 13, 2026 ] Eight Years Without Marielle: Marielle Franco Case Revives Faith in Punishing the Guilty [OPINION] #MarielleLegacy
  • [ March 11, 2026 ] In Print and Online, ‘Fala Roça’ Newspaper Is a Comprehensive Tool for Citizenship in Rocinha, Brazil’s Largest Favela #CommunityMedia
  • [ March 5, 2026 ] ‘Valongo’s New Blacks Cemetery’ Trilogy Reveals Deep Roots of Structural Racism and Urban Inequality in Rio [BOOK REVIEW] *Highlight
  • [ February 28, 2026 ] Meet the CIEPs: In Rio de Janeiro, An Ahead-of-Its-Time Education Policy Turns 40 Having Resisted Decades of Dismantling *Highlight
HomeFala Roça

Fala Roça

*Highlight

Water Justice in Rocinha: Chronic Water Shortages, a Constant Battle

By Fernando Gomes, Karen Fontoura, Rodrigo Silva • Translation by Hannah McKenzie • January 16, 2024

Clique aqui para Português This is the first in a series of articles on water justice in the favelas resulting from the course “Climate Justice in Community Journalism: From Pitching to Writing.” The course, conducted […]

#CommunityMedia

Rio de Janeiro City Council Recognizes 160 Grassroots Anti-racist Media Producers on Historic Evening at the Brazilian Press Association

By Bárbara Dias • Translation by Vasti Cruz • December 21, 2023

Clique aqui para Português On a historic evening during Brazilian Black Awareness Month, on November 27, Rio de Janeiro’s City Council, through the Special Commission to Combat Racism, chaired by Councilmember Mônica Cunha, delivered motions […]

*Highlight

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 […]

*Highlight

Ẹbí Project Offers Afrocentric Education for Families in Rio’s Favelas and Peripheries

By Gabriela Anastacia • Translation by Cristina Fornara • June 30, 2023

Clique aqui para Português Mães de Cria and the Coronavirus Pandemic On May 5, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the end of the Covid-19 global emergency. Over three years later, the impacts of the […]

#CommunityMedia

The Sustainability of Favela Newspapers in Print

By Tatiana Lima • Translation by Liam Aranda • October 13, 2022

Clique aqui para Português From the closing down of printers to the lack of profitability of favela media, grassroots communicators have faced the challenge of keeping community journalism alive in the favelas of Rio de […]

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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
    • Reference Articles
  • 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
  • Donate

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