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Latest News
  • [ December 4, 2025 ] Portrait of a Centenary-Old Favela of Stilt Houses: Belém’s Vila da Barca Resists, Organizes and Fights for Sanitation and Adequate Housing #HousingWatch
  • [ November 30, 2025 ] The Story of Dona Pascoalina, Midwife and Healer of Morro do Borel by Community Contributors
  • [ November 15, 2025 ] ‘There’s No Such Thing as Normal After a Massacre’: One Week After Police Mega-Operation Kills 121 People, Residents From Complexos do Alemão and Penha Speak Out #UPPWatch
  • [ November 13, 2025 ] ‘Human Beings Forget That They Are Nature’: Favelas Teach the Path to the Future at the 2nd Favela Sustainability Festival Civil Society
  • [ November 12, 2025 ] Food Sovereignty and Culinary Heritage Connect with Fight for Climate Justice at the 2nd Sustainable Favela Festival Civil Society
HomeWritersElma Gonzalez

Writer: Elma Gonzalez

Favela Culture

Project Morrinho: From Child’s Play to Internationally Recognized Art Installation

By Elma Gonzalez • March 27, 2015

The top of Vila Pereira da Silva, a small community above Rio’s South Zone Laranjeiras neighborhood, holds one of the most creative art installations in the city: Project Morrinho. There aren’t many signs to guide visitors up […]

#UPPWatch

Residents Protest for Peace in Maré [IMAGES]

By Elma Gonzalez • February 27, 2015

Last Monday evening February 23, 800 people once again took to the streets to protest police violence in Complexo da Maré in a demonstration called Protest for Life in Complexo da Maré.  The event began at 7 […]

*Highlight

Mayor Paes Guarantees Higher Education Institution in Alemão

By Elma Gonzalez • February 12, 2015

Clique aqui para Português In a meeting with activist leaders from Complexo do Alemão on February 6, Mayor Eduardo Paes agreed to move forward with the construction of a higher education institution in the community […]

Understanding Rio

From Valongo to Favela: Exhibition Connects Slave Past With Favelas Today [SLIDESHOW]

By Elma Gonzalez • January 9, 2015

Clique aqui para Português The Rio Museum of de Art’s (MAR) primary ongoing exhibition of 2014 From Valongo to Favela: The Imaginary and the Periphery opened its doors last May to showcase the history of Rio de […]

Civil Society

LGBT Favela Leaders Discuss Rights in Their Communities

By Elma Gonzalez • December 20, 2014

Clique aqui para Português This month, LGBT leaders from several favelas in Rio de Janeiro gathered to discuss the current state of LGBT rights in Rio communities. The Rio Communities LGBT Meet-Up took place on […]

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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.
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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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Fundação Heinrich Böll Brasil
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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

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