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Latest News
  • [ July 7, 2026 ] Eco Ableism in Favelas: People with Disabilities and Atypical Families Speak Out About Challenges, Routines and Survival Strategies by Community Contributors
  • [ June 30, 2026 ] 10 Years Later: Rio 2016 Olympics Served to Consolidate Speculative Plan Rejected by Pioneering Brazilian Urban Planner Lúcio Costa #LegacyWatch
  • [ June 29, 2026 ] Housing at the Center: What the World Urban Forum Teaches Us About Urgency, Climate and Invisibility [OPINION] #HousingWatch
  • [ June 26, 2026 ] 30 Years Since the First Promises and 10 Years After the Olympics, the Cleanup of Guanabara Bay Remains Rio’s Main Challenge #LegacyWatch
  • [ June 22, 2026 ] Study Shows that Violence Violates the Right to Education in Rio de Janeiro: ‘More Shots, Fewer Classes; Fewer Classes, More Criminals’ #UPPWatch
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*Highlight

Hip Hop in the Baixada: Project in Caxias Uses Rhythm as Therapy for Kids

By Fabio Leon • Translation by Júlia Hara Medeiros • August 31, 2019

Clique aqui para Português Stepping into the classroom at the Lira de Ouro Arts and Music Society, also a historic carnival block founded in 1957 in downtown Duque de Caxias, in Greater Rio de Janeiro’s […]

*Highlight

Favelas ‘Embrace’ Rio’s Federal University and Insist on Academia + Favela Dialogue [IMAGES]

By Antoine Horenbeek • May 5, 2018

Clique aqui para Português Between April 24 and 28, 2018, the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) hosted Abraço das Favelas (Favela Embrace), a week of cultural and artistic events animated by panel discussions, debates, movie screenings, […]

*Highlight

Meet the Manguinhos Resident Who Saved The Library and Confronted Governor Pezão

By Bruno Alfano • Translation by Sarah Jacobs • April 12, 2018

Clique aqui para Português For the original article in Portuguese by Bruno Alfano published by Extra click here. “The reopening [of the library] is politics, we know this. It’s an election year after all. But […]

Favela Culture

Ballet Manguinhos: Empowerment, Opportunities and Community Pride through Dance

By Sarah Cronin • October 26, 2016

Clique aqui para Português “You have never seen classical ballet like this…” reads the tagline for the Ballet Urbano Manguinhos (BUM) exhibition, a multi-location photo exhibit that launched on September 23 at Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz). The exhibition features snapshots of […]

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

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