Favela Rising

As I sat in a humid dance studio watching one of the best combinations of percussion, dance, and song I have ever witnessed I realized why field work is so important, even in the law. This amazing performance was only a rehearsal of the teenage girls performance group at Afroreggae, an NGO who’s mission is to promote social justice though the use of Afro-Brazilian arts and culture. The smiles on their faces, pride in their performance, and enthusiasm with which they performed were at true testament to the accomplishments of this organization. Shaping the self images and esteem of the kids such that they realize that they are worthy of the time, effort, and resources has been a major challenge of this organization. Seeing the conditions in which they lived had allowed me to fully understand the immensity of this challenge. It also helped to learn more about the ways in which the law contributes to the development of favelas.

On my visit to AfroReggae I had the privilege of sitting in on the rehearsals for several different cultural music performance groups which this NGO supports. Although, I researched the organization prior to my visit and was well aware of the amazing impact it has on the favelas in which it works I had no conception of the deeply personal impact this organization has on the individuals which it serves. I understood that a main goal of Afroreggae is to take favela youth out of the crime life or avoid it all together. Many things were required to make this goal a reality such as addressing the extreme poverty that the kids face, securing a safe place, and creating an organizational infrastructure. However, I did not think about one important aspect of an organization such as this one, self esteem. Shaping the self images and esteem of the kids such that they think that they are worthy of the time, effort, and resources and actually have a chance of making it out of the favela or securing steady employment is a major component of the work this organization does.

I truly feel that the impact of an organization like Afroreggae on the self esteem of its participants can only be understood through first hand exposure. No amount of research, accounts, or scholarly articles can convey what I witnessed first hand during my day spent with this organization.