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  • [ 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
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  • [ November 12, 2025 ] Food Sovereignty and Culinary Heritage Connect with Fight for Climate Justice at the 2nd Sustainable Favela Festival Civil Society
HomeAfro-Brazilian culture

Afro-Brazilian culture

*Highlight

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. […]

*Highlight

‘Monkeys’: A Transformative Theater Experience Confronting the Reality of Grieving Mothers and the Genocide of Black Brazilians [REVIEW]

By Cleyton Santanna • Translation by Felicity Clarke • September 12, 2023

Clique aqui para Português At the Firjan SESI Theater, located in downtown Rio de Janeiro, I had the opportunity to watch one of the final performances in the recent run of Monkeys, a monologue written […]

by Community Contributors

In Rio Favela of Acari, ‘CineSoirée’ Nzinga of Angola Debates Popular Education, History and Afro-Brazilian Culture

By Ingra Maciel • Translation by Nathan Bergrin • September 4, 2023

Clique aqui para Português On Saturday, June 24, St. John’s Day when many Rio de Janeiro locals gather to celebrate traditional June festivals, young residents in the favela of Acari and surrounding North Zone gathered […]

*Highlight

Quilombo dos Palmares: A Lesson in Living Resistance [VIDEO]

By Tassia Di Carvalho • Translation by Felicity Clarke, Nicholas Miller • July 25, 2023

 Clique aqui para Português This video report pays a visit to Quilombo dos Palmares (1605-1695), the greatest symbol of Black resistance in Brazilian history, and its significance for the representation of Black Brazilian people, […]

*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 […]

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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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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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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
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    • 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
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