Change Around the World: Interview with Colin Andrew

By Emma Andrew

After several years of living in South America, Colin Andrew gained a passion and appreciation for discovering new cultures that influenced my entire life. As his sister, I watched him travel to another continent and come back a new man, enriched and enlightened by the friendships he had formed with people who lived their lives in a place so different from his own. He truly seeks to understand somewhere when he travels to a new place, and he truly desires to befriend those from all sorts of backgrounds. This week I had the chance to speak with him about his last year living in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and the work he performed there with the non-profit Catalytic Communities. The insight he relayed pertaining to the sense of community within favelas and the detail with which he described his experiences was an extreme pleasure to read, and I look forward to sharing with you the thought-provoking exchange.

Emma: The United Nations has outlined 17 sustainable development goals that they aim to reach by the year 2030. One of them is "Sustainable Cities and Communities" which sets the goals of making cities and communities inclusive, safe, and resilient. Can you give us a brief description of what you studied in Brazil and how what you learned might pertain to this goal?

Colin: As a reporting intern for the non-profit Catalytic Communities, I worked with the Sustainable Favela Network project, which is dedicated to strengthening community-based sustainable development initiatives within the urban periphery and informal settlements of Rio de Janeiro. I interviewed local leaders of various initiatives who dedicated their time, resources, and talents towards building inclusive, resilient, and safe communities. I then wrote profiles on these initiatives which were subsequently published on community reporting websites in English and Portuguese. All of the initiatives I reported on were working towards achieving targets set forth by the United Nations under the overarching goal of building sustainable cities and communities. Community-based initiative efforts included providing solar energy to favela residents through a social business model, transforming abandoned lots into parks and green spaces with playgrounds and activity centers for children, and tracking basic sanitation issues through citizen-generated data on social media apps. Overall, I learned that favela residents are making incredible strides towards achieving sustainable development with remarkable ingenuity and resolve. In addition, because these initiatives are community-based, they make lasting impacts.

Emma: What was the most shocking thing you discovered while meeting and befriending those who lived in the favelas in Rio de Janeiro?

Colin: I was most shocked by the distinct sense of community pride that most favela residents possess. There is such a wide range in what constitutes a favela. Each community is distinct with a unique history, geography, and cultural traditions, and I was able to gain a profound appreciation for this diversity of experience through engaging with residents across Rio de Janeiro. Through their words, media, and artistic expression, I came to understand the massive cultural influence the favela exerts on Brazil and the world. From samba and Carnival to futebol and capoeira, favela residents have shaped the Brazilian image and conscience.

Emma: Is there a story you encountered while in Brazil that has particularly touched you?

Colin: During Carnival in February, I accompanied a favela tour as part of a reporting series on favelas and tourism in Rio de Janeiro. The guide of this particular tour was a favela resident named Cosme. When he was a young boy living in the Morro da Providência favela in downtown Rio, Cosme was approached by a couple of tourists who offered him a bottle of Coke in exchange for a tour of his neighborhood. That experience stuck with Cosme, and when he was older he decided to found his own tour company dedicated to showing off the cultural diversity of his home and Brazil's first favela. With enthusiasm and an expansive knowledge of local history, Cosme took me and other tourists on a four hour journey through the narrow streets of vibrant Providência. He helped me gain an understanding of the rich cultural institutions of his neighborhood, from the martial arts training complex to the community arts center. Cosme didn't shy away from the challenges favela residents face on a daily basis, and he made it clear that there have been significant failures on the part of the Brazilian government that have caused undue suffering among Rio's informal communities. Through his tour, Cosme showed me a side of Rio that many tourists sadly miss altogether or completely misunderstand. His community pride and activism inspired me to continue to work alongside favela residents in promoting sustainable development.

Emma: What do you believe is the biggest inhibitor to sustainable development in Brazil? What needs to change in order to achieve this?

Colin: Government neglect, corruption, and crime continue to be some of the greatest inhibitors to sustainable urban development in Brazil. With few basic services offered by the government to informal communities and urban peripheries, many residents must rely on corrupt politicians and crime bosses to gain access to services. These parties continue to profit off the marginalization of favelas, thus providing little incentive for real, lasting change to be pursued.