{"id":81219,"date":"2025-08-11T07:00:01","date_gmt":"2025-08-11T10:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=81219"},"modified":"2025-09-13T14:10:59","modified_gmt":"2025-09-13T17:10:59","slug":"o-catarinao-new-community-newspaper-strengthens-memory-and-identity-in-jardim-catarina-in-greater-rio-de-janeiros-sao-goncalo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=81219","title":{"rendered":"\u2018O Catarin\u00e3o\u2019: New Community Newspaper Strengthens Memory and Identity in Jardim Catarina, in Greater Rio de Janeiro\u2019s S\u00e3o Gon\u00e7alo"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_81220\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-81220\" style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Resident-reads-the-newspaper-O-Catarinao-distributed-for-free-in-the-neighborhood-of-Sao-Goncalo.-Photo-Samara-Oliveira-scaled-1.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-81220 size-full\" title=\"A resident reads the newspaper \u2018O Catarin\u00e3o,\u2019 distributed free of charge in the largest neighborhood in S\u00e3o Gon\u00e7alo. Photo: Samara Oliveira\" src=\"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Resident-reads-the-newspaper-O-Catarinao-distributed-for-free-in-the-neighborhood-of-Sao-Goncalo.-Photo-Samara-Oliveira-scaled-1.jpg\" alt=\"A resident reads the newspaper \u2018O Catarin\u00e3o,\u2019 distributed free of charge in the largest neighborhood in S\u00e3o Gon\u00e7alo. Photo: Samara Oliveira\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1424\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Resident-reads-the-newspaper-O-Catarinao-distributed-for-free-in-the-neighborhood-of-Sao-Goncalo.-Photo-Samara-Oliveira-scaled-1.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Resident-reads-the-newspaper-O-Catarinao-distributed-for-free-in-the-neighborhood-of-Sao-Goncalo.-Photo-Samara-Oliveira-scaled-1-620x460.jpg 620w, https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Resident-reads-the-newspaper-O-Catarinao-distributed-for-free-in-the-neighborhood-of-Sao-Goncalo.-Photo-Samara-Oliveira-scaled-1-848x629.jpg 848w, https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Resident-reads-the-newspaper-O-Catarinao-distributed-for-free-in-the-neighborhood-of-Sao-Goncalo.-Photo-Samara-Oliveira-scaled-1-768x570.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Resident-reads-the-newspaper-O-Catarinao-distributed-for-free-in-the-neighborhood-of-Sao-Goncalo.-Photo-Samara-Oliveira-scaled-1-1536x1139.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Resident-reads-the-newspaper-O-Catarinao-distributed-for-free-in-the-neighborhood-of-Sao-Goncalo.-Photo-Samara-Oliveira-scaled-1-80x60.jpg 80w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-81220\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A resident reads the newspaper <em>O Catarin\u00e3o<\/em>, distributed free of charge in the largest neighborhood in S\u00e3o Gon\u00e7alo. Photo: Samara Oliveira<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/4kBrJn6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em><i><strong>Clique aqui para Portugu\u00eas<\/strong><\/i><\/em><em><i><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-23766 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rioonwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/PT-e1439583827971.png\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" \/><\/i><\/em><\/a><\/h4>\n<p><em>Check out our complete\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?tag=series-community-media-profiles\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">series of community media profiles here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Launched in October 2024, the newspaper <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/4dXHtPF\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">O Catarin\u00e3o<\/span><\/i><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">portrays the favela of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3GAX59o\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jardim Catarina<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/2SVjMhr\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">S\u00e3o Gon\u00e7alo<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a municipality in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/2IqnU52\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Greater Rio<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> de Janeiro\u2018s <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3FEu2XC\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leste Fluminense<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> region, to the east of Guanabara Bay. The paper focuses on providing relevant information to residents while helping recover the community\u2019s history, memory, and identity. With 6,000 monthly printed copies, the publication created by journalist Samara Oliveira promotes a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/4dLnNNF\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sense of belonging<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> through quality local reporting. In addition, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">O Catarin\u00e3o<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a tool in the struggle of this marginalized community, amplifying local voices and demanding residents\u2019 rights.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1LZ4db_yyKn2fBel1vamRvNemCOJDKcxg\/preview\" width=\"515\" height=\"650\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The project\u2019s founder was born and raised in Jardim Catarina and believes that communication can bring about change for the area. According to Oliveira, the motivation to create the newspaper came from her discomfort with the way her community was portrayed in mainstream media: always through the lens of violence and criminality, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3muYh59\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ignoring all the power<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> built there.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cCommunication can change realities. One thing that has always bothered me about Jardim Catarina is how little people know about its history. I believe every favela newspaper begins with discomfort over <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/1MoIGcv\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">how the hegemonic media portray<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> our favela, our community\u2026 \u2018O Catarin\u00e3o\u2019 was born out of that discomfort\u2014from knowing that this is a very rich community, with a wealth of history that is little known even by its own residents. I grew up feeling restless about Jardim Catarina\u2019s story. So the main point was to reclaim memory and identity.\u201d \u2014 Samara Oliveira<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Distributed free of charge, the newspaper is produced by a permanent team of seven people, including reporters, producers and social media professionals, along with volunteers. \u201cI do a lot of the work myself, but others [do a lot for <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">O Catarin\u00e3o<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">] too. Without them, I wouldn\u2019t be able to do all this,\u201d says Oliveira.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1zU5bDDL6CAPsx9M1vYmbWwt8thkRDBlQ\/preview\" width=\"515\" height=\"650\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Considered the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/45oThpZ\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">largest informal subdivision in Latin America<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/4kVaJYU\">most populous neighborhood in S\u00e3o Gon\u00e7alo<\/a>, Jardim Catarina faces many everyday problems that cause significant damage and impact residents\u2019 health. One example is the frequent flooding that <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3LRWwhC\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hits S\u00e3o Gon\u00e7alo<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and other cities in Greater Rio every summer,\u00a0 which typically remains invisible to both traditional media and the State. \u201cIn summer, at the start of the year, we published [articles] about the heavy rains and constant flooding in Jardim Catarina\u2026 We explained why it happens and also brought in the historical context,\u201d says Oliveira.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Like every <a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/1XsBmqf\">community media<\/a> outlet, the newspaper faces <a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3s38FFt\">enormous challenges<\/a> to keep running.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cThe challenges are always tied to a lack of funding, of money, because even though many people want to invest in the paper, we can\u2019t accept just any offer. I always say that it\u2019s not just about getting money\u2014it\u2019s about securing funds that align with our values\u2026 Among the many impacts a favela-based media outlet can have on its community, reclaiming memory and identity are the main ones. We share the history of Jardim Catarina\u2014from its beginnings as a subdivision to how it developed into what it is today. This news outlet is essential to informing the residents of <a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/4mUxtL0\">S\u00e3o Gon\u00e7alo\u2019s most populous neighborhood<\/a>.\u201d \u2014 Samara Oliveira<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<figure id=\"attachment_81224\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-81224\" style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Samara-Oliveira-is-a-journalist-and-founder-of-the-newspaper-Catarinao.-Photo-Archive-O-Catarinao-scaled-1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-81224 size-full\" title=\"One of \u2018O Catarin\u00e3o\u2019's missions is to reclaim the community\u2019s memory and identity, says Samara Oliveira, journalist and founder of the newspaper. Photo: 'O Catarin\u00e3o' Archive\" src=\"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Samara-Oliveira-is-a-journalist-and-founder-of-the-newspaper-Catarinao.-Photo-Archive-O-Catarinao-scaled-1.jpg\" alt=\"One of \u2018O Catarin\u00e3o\u2019's missions is to reclaim the community\u2019s memory and identity, says Samara Oliveira, journalist and founder of the newspaper. Photo: 'O Catarin\u00e3o' Archive\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Samara-Oliveira-is-a-journalist-and-founder-of-the-newspaper-Catarinao.-Photo-Archive-O-Catarinao-scaled-1.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Samara-Oliveira-is-a-journalist-and-founder-of-the-newspaper-Catarinao.-Photo-Archive-O-Catarinao-scaled-1-465x620.jpg 465w, https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Samara-Oliveira-is-a-journalist-and-founder-of-the-newspaper-Catarinao.-Photo-Archive-O-Catarinao-scaled-1-472x629.jpg 472w, https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Samara-Oliveira-is-a-journalist-and-founder-of-the-newspaper-Catarinao.-Photo-Archive-O-Catarinao-scaled-1-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Samara-Oliveira-is-a-journalist-and-founder-of-the-newspaper-Catarinao.-Photo-Archive-O-Catarinao-scaled-1-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Samara-Oliveira-is-a-journalist-and-founder-of-the-newspaper-Catarinao.-Photo-Archive-O-Catarinao-scaled-1-1536x2048.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-81224\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">One of <em>O Catarin\u00e3o&#8217;s<\/em> missions is to reclaim the community\u2019s memory and identity, says Samara Oliveira, journalist and founder of the newspaper. Photo: <em>O Catarin\u00e3o<\/em> Archive<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>According to the newspaper\u2019s creator, there\u2019s no set number of editions to be produced, but there is a clear effort to build a sense of belonging to the region through community memory. \u201cOnce we feel people are equipped with information and knowledge about their neighborhood\u2019s history, then we\u2019ll start covering more subjects,\u201d says Oliveira.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cWhile we were distributing the paper, there was an elderly man sitting on the sidewalk. We handed him a copy too. Later, I noticed he was crying, visibly moved, looking at the newspaper. I walked over and asked if everything was okay, and he said yes\u2014he was just feeling emotional because his friend, Marcos Delfim, had been remembered and featured in the paper. Marcos Delfim was the first journalist from Jardim Catarina to publish a newspaper and, whether by coincidence, ancestry, or the universe itself, Marcos Delfim happened to be my uncle.\u201d \u2014 Samara Oliveira<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The young woman\u2019s uncle has passed away, but while he was alive, he coordinated the newspaper <em>Folha Popular<\/em>. Oliveira says she doesn\u2019t know how long the paper lasted, as her family has no records of the project.<\/p>\n<p>The current <em>O Catarin\u00e3o<\/em> adopted a bimonthly schedule due to the printing costs involved. The project\u2019s first edition, which focused on electoral misinformation, received funding from an organization that had already intended to support the newspaper\u2019s printing. With that funding, two additional editions were published, the most recent centered on environmental misinformation. This bimonthly edition is currently in production.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a tool for bringing about change in the community, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">O Catarin\u00e3o<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> seeks to amplify favela voices in their fight for rights.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cJust by being there, we&#8217;re already stirring things up and demanding rights. And that comes through in the articles too\u2014when we inform residents about the rights they have.\u201d \u2014 Samara Oliveira<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Looking ahead, the goal is to publish in-depth feature stories. \u201cSo it\u2019s not just a paper handed from one person to another on the street, but a tool that mobilizes and fuels the fight for real improvements in our community,\u201d says Oliveira.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, the newspaper seeks to become a formalized entity and to be able to pay its collaborators. Another goal is to turn the initiative into an institute, allowing it to broaden its reach and actions.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWe have a plan for how we want to create impact beyond the newspaper, beyond communication. I see \u2018O Catarin\u00e3o\u2019 as an institution doing work on the ground, with people who struggle with alcohol and drug abuse, maybe even working to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3ZaZB2B\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">fight hunger<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as well. And thinking about that not just as handing out basic foodstuffs, but finding ways to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/2gHYbJt\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">generate<\/span><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3N0xk8S\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">income<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> together with these people.\u201d \u2014 Samara Oliveira<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ever since it began circulating, the newspaper has been received warmly by local residents. \u201cPeople have always welcomed it with excitement and enthusiasm. When they realized it was a newspaper from Jardim Catarina, they\u2019d turn around and come talk to us, ask how it\u2019s made, who\u2019s behind it. I see a lot of potential for it to become a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/4o0u4e1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">tool for organizing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014because what is grassroots communication, if not this?\u201d asks the founder.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1pAzkhEKRlvooQ48Y_7BEbh8Eu1vMENCV\/preview\" width=\"515\" height=\"650\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oliveira is the only journalist on <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">O Catarin\u00e3o<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2019s staff. She believes the newspaper must inform ethically, with precision and quality. \u201cI carry a big responsibility. Beyond producing quality, accurate reporting, I also have to use language that\u2019s not just accessible, but rich with knowledge for readers. I know we need to bring the language in: make it the [everyday] language of peripheral areas, of the favela, but it\u2019s also important to expand the vocabulary of our readers,\u201d she says, pointing out that the paper includes a page called \u2018What Names Are These?\u2019, a glossary explaining the terms used in each edition.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oscar da Silva Lima, a 57-year-old resident and newspaper vendor who has worked in the neighborhood for over 20 years, talks about how he\u2019s been contributing to <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">O Catarin\u00e3o<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. He\u2019s in charge of one of the distribution points: his newsstand. \u201cEveryone who reads the paper likes learning about the neighborhood\u2019s history. People enjoy it,\u201d says Lima. For him, keeping the newspaper in print is essential\u2014especially in this era of the Internet and smartphones.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cThese days, it\u2019s all about cell phones. People wake up with their phones already on the bedside table, so they don\u2019t go to the newsstand anymore.\u201d \u2014 Oscar da Silva Lima<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The newsstand owner explains his strategy for getting the paper to more residents. \u201cHere\u2019s what I do: when someone comes by to buy another newspaper, I slip in a copy of <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">O Catarin\u00e3o<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> too. But people also come looking for it, and I hand it over. Anything that informs people about the neighborhood is a good thing,\u201d he says.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_81263\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-81263\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Oscar-is-a-vendor-and-has-a-newsstand-where-he-helps-distribute-copies-of-O-Catarinao.-Photo-Synara-Azevedo-1.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-81263 size-full\" title=\"Oscar is a vendor and runs his own newsstand, where he helps distribute copies of \u2018O Catarin\u00e3o.\u2019 Photo: Synara Azevedo\" src=\"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Oscar-is-a-vendor-and-has-a-newsstand-where-he-helps-distribute-copies-of-O-Catarinao.-Photo-Synara-Azevedo-1.jpeg\" alt=\"Oscar is a vendor and runs his own newsstand, where he helps distribute copies of \u2018O Catarin\u00e3o.\u2019 Photo: Synara Azevedo\" width=\"1200\" height=\"978\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Oscar-is-a-vendor-and-has-a-newsstand-where-he-helps-distribute-copies-of-O-Catarinao.-Photo-Synara-Azevedo-1.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Oscar-is-a-vendor-and-has-a-newsstand-where-he-helps-distribute-copies-of-O-Catarinao.-Photo-Synara-Azevedo-1-620x505.jpeg 620w, https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Oscar-is-a-vendor-and-has-a-newsstand-where-he-helps-distribute-copies-of-O-Catarinao.-Photo-Synara-Azevedo-1-772x629.jpeg 772w, https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Oscar-is-a-vendor-and-has-a-newsstand-where-he-helps-distribute-copies-of-O-Catarinao.-Photo-Synara-Azevedo-1-768x626.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-81263\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oscar is a vendor running his own newsstand, where he helps distribute copies of <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">O Catarin\u00e3o<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Photo: Synara Azevedo<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Resident Lucas Siqueira Gon\u00e7alves says the newspaper can be found in several key community spaces. The 27-year-old actor and geography teacher says he often finds copies at distribution points like local hardware stores and markets, in addition to those handed out by the team itself. \u201cI remember when I was a kid, I didn\u2019t really understand what mayors did. I used to say I wanted to be the mayor of Jardim Catarina, because I always wanted to see this neighborhood grow and move forward. When I see <em>O Catarin\u00e3o<\/em>\u2014a newspaper dedicated to Jardim Catarina\u2014it\u2019s deeply moving to realize I\u2019m not alone in this fight for the neighborhood.\u201d Gon\u00e7alves says he sees himself in the stories told in the newspaper.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cThere\u2019s a real variety of stories and news in there. I think that&#8217;s what makes me connect even more with \u2018O Catarin\u00e3o,\u2019 you know? And there\u2019s also this love I have for the neighborhood, which I carry into my love for the paper too. Because Jardim Catarina\u2014being the largest informal subdivision in Latin America\u2014holds a huge diversity of stories and events that touch many families and impact the whole community.\u201d \u2014 Lucas Siqueira Gon\u00e7alves<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The teacher and resident draws attention to the newspaper\u2019s digital version, which is also available through a website. \u201cWe can share it virtually too\u2014not just by word of mouth, but in a way that social media can help make the news reach more people,\u201d says Gon\u00e7alves, highlighting the language used in the paper as \u201cperfectly accessible and understandable, both for people with little schooling and for those with more.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Among the paper\u2019s main themes, the teacher says he enjoys the fun facts about the neighborhood: \u201cKnowing that it used to be an orange grove and this is the reason behind the name Jardim Catarina. I always identify most with these historical fun facts.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Confirming Gon\u00e7alves\u2019 perspective, Samara Oliveira says the newspaper is very well received by residents and enjoys the support of the Jardim Catarina community. According to her, this is because, before <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">O Catarin\u00e3o<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, residents <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/2ERJgXa\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">didn\u2019t see their own narratives reflected<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the media. The same reason that led Oliveira to create the paper is what makes it so well accepted by her neighbors in Jardim Catarina.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cWe receive support in whatever ways the community can help\u2014whether by spreading the word or through local business owners who ask us to leave copies at their establishments for distribution, because they truly like and support the initiative. We get messages on social media asking us to drop off papers here and there, or wanting to know how they can come pick some up. We\u2019ve been embraced by the community. I never doubted it would happen, but it\u2019s really good to see it actually happening.\u201d \u2014 Samara Oliveira<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">About the author: <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/42EoKTz\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Igor Soares<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was born and raised in Morro do Borel and has a journalism degree from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). He currently contributes to #Colabora and works as a freelancer. He has experience covering topics related to cities, human rights, and public security, having previously worked at Estad\u00e3o, Portal iG, and produced reports for Folha de S\u00e3o Paulo.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h4>Support\u00a0RioOnWatch\u2019s tireless, critical and cutting-edge hyperlocal journalism, online community organizing meetings, and direct support to favelas\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/FavelaCovidResponse\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">by clicking here<\/a>.<\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>Clique aqui para Portugu\u00eas Check out our complete\u00a0series of community media profiles here. Launched in October 2024, the newspaper O Catarin\u00e3o portrays the favela of Jardim Catarina in S\u00e3o Gon\u00e7alo, a municipality in Greater Rio <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/?p=81219\" title=\"\u2018O Catarin\u00e3o\u2019: New Community Newspaper Strengthens Memory and Identity in Jardim Catarina, in Greater Rio de Janeiro\u2019s S\u00e3o Gon\u00e7alo\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":245,"featured_media":81220,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"template-full.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1294,1288,1328,1271,329],"tags":[674,78,1197,3346,3682,1900,2679,120,3030,1498,3703,796,2201],"writer":[3680],"translator":[3560],"illustrator":[],"photographer":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-81219","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-communitymedia","8":"category-highlight","9":"category-by-community-contributors","10":"category-favelaqualities","11":"category-solutions","12":"tag-memory","13":"tag-floods","14":"tag-greater-rio","15":"tag-jardim-catarina","16":"tag-leste-fluminense","17":"tag-media-narrative","18":"tag-narrative-shifting","19":"tag-sao-goncalo","20":"tag-sense-of-belonging","21":"tag-series-community-media-profiles","22":"tag-series-memories-of-favela-power","23":"tag-social-media","24":"tag-toolkit","25":"writer-igor-soares","26":"translator-kay-alvito"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81219","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/245"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=81219"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81219\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":81422,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81219\/revisions\/81422"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/81220"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=81219"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=81219"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=81219"},{"taxonomy":"writer","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fwriter&post=81219"},{"taxonomy":"translator","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftranslator&post=81219"},{"taxonomy":"illustrator","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fillustrator&post=81219"},{"taxonomy":"photographer","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rioonwatch.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fphotographer&post=81219"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}