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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
HomeSambadrome

Sambadrome

*Highlight

Rio Carnival 2025: Mangueira Samba School Exalts ‘Pride in Being from the Favela’ While Telling the Story of the Bantu Peoples [INTERVIEW]

By Rhuan Gonçalves • Translation by Staff • February 28, 2025

Clique aqui para Português Rio de Janeiro’s 2025 Carnival is here, celebrating a people increasingly proud of themselves and their history. Of the 12 samba schools in the Special Group, only two—Mocidade and Vila Isabel—will […]

#CoronavirusWatch

No Rio de Janeiro Carnival in 2021: Voices of Carnival Workers in Acari and Beyond

By Ingra Maciel • Translation by Pilar Boyero • February 22, 2021

Clique aqui para Português This is our latest article about Covid-19 and its impacts on the favelas. Since their beginnings, the popular history of Rio de Janeiro’s samba schools was built on the ritual of sociability […]

Mãe Ekedi Sílvia de Mendonça, a journalist and a Black Movement activist, in front of the old house of cult of João da Gomeia, one of the most famous candomblé priests of his time. Photo by Bárbara Dias
#ParticipationWatch

Sacred Afro-Brazilian Religious Site Will Be Preserved, Following Protest by Religious Movement

By Carla Souza • Translation by Carolyn Oliveira • August 18, 2020

Clique aqui para Português On July 18, a protest against religious intolerance took place in Duque de Caxias, in Greater Rio’s Baixada Fluminense region, at the former site of the terreiro (outdoor place of worship […]

#EvictionsWatch

Favela Residents As Urban Guinea Pigs [OPINION]

By Washington Fajardo • Translation by Dylan Blau Edelstein • September 19, 2019

Clique aqui para Português Time goes by, and those in Rio de Janeiro’s government continue to insist upon announcing grand schemes for the favelas. This time it’s a “grand boulevard” in the South Zone favela […]

Favela Culture

Meet the Heroes Featured in Mangueira’s Samba Parade at Rio’s 2019 Carnaval [VIDEO]

By Alba Valéria Mendonça • Translation by Cheyne Bull • March 15, 2019

Clique aqui para Português For the original article in Portuguese by Alba Valéria Mendonça published in G1, click here. In the context of contemporary Brazil where President Bolsonaro has acted to reduce references to Afro- […]

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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
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  • Communities
    • Central
    • South Zone
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  • 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
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    • Translated Articles
  • About
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    • Our Reporting Policy
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