Live from Rio (part 2)

Peace to all who read this,

It has been a good sunday for sure. I woke up this morning with one of my favorite gospel songs on my mind: "great is thy faithfulness" ...morning by morning new mercies i see... all i hath needed thy Hand hath provided... great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me. I was definitely in the mood to be either at Trinity United Church of Christ (note to Trinitarians: please send me the scripture from the 7:30 sermon if you can) or Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel at Howard University (that song brings back so many beloved HU memories there). Since I couldn't get on the computer for the TUCC Webcast, I read a few chapters of John's gospel.

Needless to say i was in a good mood this morning.

Of course, B and I had set aside today to rest -- at the beach. We showered and headed straight there. After a week of classes, heavy topics like police brutality, violence and community organization, we so needed a break. In addition to that, since I wrote last some of you know that I got very sick, visited a Favela, and Nos do Cinema the NGO founded by the "City of God" actors. Let´s rewind.

Perceptions of Favelas
On Tuesday, we heard a lecture from a crime scholar from one of the federal universities here. It was very interesting considering theory discussions usually turn me off. However, his data from 1983 and 2001/2002 linked the increased crime rates in the Favelas and also a shift in public perception of residents in the Favelas. The significance of the years is this: from 1966 to 1985, Brasil was governed by a military dictatorship. And in 1988, a new constitution was written under the Democratic government. I say all this to say, in 1983, under the military dictatorship, residents in the Favelas were depicted as both criminals and victims. However, his 2001/2002 data, which was a content-analysis of the major Rio newspaper linking the words violence and Favela, there were no depictions of Favela residents as victims -- only as criminals. This shift results in the lack of positive media coverage for the Favelas, he argued. He also discussed the prison system which was not exempt from changes too. Most liken rio's prisons to swiss cheese or centers for criminal activity. Long gone are the days when prisons were rehabilitation centers because Brazilians thought (like much of the rest of the world) those who performed crimes were mentally unstable.

Wednesday and Thursday:
During these two days, it is most accurate that I could not hold water down effectively. Blame it on the cheese pizza with tomotoes I had the night before. Or maybe just my body adjusting to what folks here call the third world/Latin America/South America/Brasilian/Rio (stomach) rumble. It is very real and very thorough. Needless to say I spent these days missing all of you, sleeping, force-drinking water and later gatorade (which i thank God for), force-eating crackers, and alternating Pepto with Tylenol for my upset stomach and rising fever.

"I want to die making films."
Friday, I was determined to attend class because in the evening we were expected to distribute condoms to these sex workers along with this NGO here called, Macoabim. this and probably only this was the reason I dragged my lifeless body out of bed that morning. I was feeling between 75-85% well, and i knew i could not spend another day in the hotel room, listening to the kids across the street playing futbol. It was so out of the question. So, our first stop was Nos do Cinema (nose doo cin-eh-ma), which is where I met the students who are trained in fillmmaking by the actors from "City of God." We screened three of their films which were between 10-25 minutes long. The students were between their early to late teens and the work was impressive. They tackled issues like teen pregnancy, suicide, and Favela life. But what was even more impressive was the modest equipment these folks were using! I think I saw like two Macs (from the waaay back), and about 4-5 PCs. Are you serious? The only thing that looked up to date was their camcorder which was digital and the DVDs that they showed their work on. Other than that, that studio made the School of C (communications) look like CNN or the Washington Post's newsroom (no diss intended to the School of C. so folks know what I'm talking about).

And we did not make it to the no to pass out our condoms because our shipment never came through. Instead, we're going to go this Thursday. I will keep you posted on this of course.

Abrazos
Saturday was so anticipated for me because it was a chance to visit a Favela while not feeling like i was sick. We rode a van about 100 kilometers (I dunno how many miles that is) to a Favela called Queimados (pronounced kay-mah-dush). This is where I learned a valuable lesson about compassion and humility. Body language ALWAYS speaks louder than words in any tongue. In the Favela, we met this sista whose relatives/kids (allegedly (yea right)) were gunned down next door to her house by the police. She was kind enough to speak with us off the cuff about the litigation concerning this after we had watched a documentary film on this. Her son was so playing in the dirt in front of me. With his little toes all in it. picking up rocks and such, while his mommy fought the good fight. She was speaking through a translator and there was so much to be said by me, but stuff is mad personal. I wanted to reach out, but I could not muster the energy to tell the translator. I wanted it to be a conversation just between sistas. Something we can only share and understand (did i mention I'm the only African American in my group?) So after she said goodbye to the group, before she went back into her home, I just tapped her on the shoulder and held my arms out. We hugged. For a long time. One of those Opiyo-esque hugs that sistas used to get on the yard just for waking up that day. I rubbed her back. She rubbed mine. I took some of her pain and loss to carry with me. It was such a dope moment...

I wore my black on black love shirt today because it's slightly grimy from my workouts in it but more importantly because love translates. No matter what language. If folks don't know any thing in English here, they know: Bush, Coca-Cola, and love (so not in that order though hopefully). I wanted to bring that feeling to the Favela. And only I could do it since the Afro-Brazilians here won't speak up about blackness and the black folks are so in the Favelas.

Other Stuff
In case anyone is wondering, the seasons are reversed since I'm technically on the other half of the globe. So it is winter here. Meaning the sun rises at about 6ish and sets at about 5 or so. The temps peak at about high 70s in the day and 50s in the evening. The beach is rarely abandoned from what I can tell though. And mom, there are those bidets in all the bathrooms -- just like in ours. Lol. I thought you would get a kick out of that.

I can't wait to experience what this week will bring me. I hope there is no more illness in sight and plenty of wonderful lessons. Please continue to keep me in your prayers and I will do the same.

I love you,
Courtney

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