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Latest News
  • [ February 13, 2026 ] Queens from the Favelas: Meet Homegrown Rhythm Section Queens Upholding Black, Peripheral and Female Leadership in Rio’s Carnival by Community Contributors
  • [ February 11, 2026 ] In Serrinha Favela, Kids Make Things Happen! Community Project ‘Mulecada Que Agita’ Continues the Legacy of Generations of Sambistas and Jongueiros [INTERVIEW] *Highlight
  • [ February 9, 2026 ] Solidarity Kitchen and Social Impact School ‘Sweet Memories by Claudia Queiroga’ Feeds Body and Soul in Greater Rio [PROFILE] *Highlight
  • [ January 29, 2026 ] ‘It’s the Place of Resistance of Our Existence’: Duque de Caxias’ Culture Manor is a Hub for Art, Education and Leisure by Community Contributors
  • [ January 13, 2026 ] 10 Years Since the Rio Olympics: Vila Autódromo Continues to Resist Gentrification Pressures Amidst New ‘Olympic Barra’ Neighborhood #EvictionsWatch
HomeRio de Janeiro Carnival

Rio de Janeiro Carnival

by Community Contributors

Queens from the Favelas: Meet Homegrown Rhythm Section Queens Upholding Black, Peripheral and Female Leadership in Rio’s Carnival

By Amanda Baroni Lopes • Translation by Staff • February 13, 2026

Clique aqui para Português In Rio de Janeiro’s 2026 Carnival, RioOnWatch highlights the only two “rainhas de bateria,” rhythm section queens, who hail from the favelas where their samba schools are located. Leading the rhythm […]

*Highlight

In Serrinha Favela, Kids Make Things Happen! Community Project ‘Mulecada Que Agita’ Continues the Legacy of Generations of Sambistas and Jongueiros [INTERVIEW]

By Rhuan Gonçalves • Translation by Staff • February 11, 2026

Clique aqui para Português This 2026 Rio de Janeiro carnival, RioOnWatch paid a visit to the traditional, century-old Serrinha favela to get to know the Mulecada Que Agita project by interviewing its founders and members. […]

#EvictionsWatch

Maracanã Village Urban Indigenous Resistance Takes Center Stage at Rio 2025 Carnival, Despite Threats of Forced Eviction and Carnival Fire

By Dayse Alves • Translation by Staff • February 28, 2025

Clique aqui para Português In Aldeia Maracanã (Maracanã Village), an indigenous village located next to the iconic soccer stadium of the same name, numerous efforts have been underway since 2006 to resist the pressures of […]

by Community Contributors

Art, Resistance and Ancestral Struggle at Carnival, Part 3: ‘Se Benze Que Dá’ Bloco Closes Maré Favela’s 2024 Carnival

By Tatiana Lima • Translation by Aaron Scott • February 13, 2024

Clique aqui para Português This is the third in a series of three articles about carnival traditions in Rio’s favelas and peripheries, respectively: the Bate-Bola clowns, an indelible tradition in the North and West Zones, […]

by Community Contributors

Art, Resistance and Ancestral Struggle at Carnival, Part 2: Silver and Bronze Series Samba Schools and Favela Associations Resist and Occupy Intendente Magalhães

By Tatiana Lima • Translation by Staff • February 12, 2024

Clique aqui para Português This is the second in a series of three articles about carnival traditions in Rio’s favelas and peripheries, respectively: the Bate-Bola clowns, an indelible tradition in the North and West Zones, […]

Posts pagination

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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
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  • Communities
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    • South Zone
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  • Policies
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    • 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
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    • Listicles
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    • Reference
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    • Translated Articles
  • About
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