Nothing about us
without us
Hi :)
We’re Movimentos, a group of young activists from different favelas and peripheries of Brazil who want to change the current landscape of drug policies in the country. For many years, we have been suffering the violent impacts of the so-called “war on drugs”, a war we did not choose to fight. And we have been living through the stigmatization and racism which were certainly intensified by this war, though not invented by it.
The violent effects of this war upon us have persisted for far too long, but we have repeatedly watched debates about us that seldom include us. For this reason, we believe it is not possible to build alternatives to current drug policies if we do not have a seat in this conversation. We must be the protagonists in any discussion regarding the impacts of this war in our lives and in any attempt to conceive solutions and reparations. These are the fundamental conditions for us to overcome decades of failed drug policies.
Our principles
What we believe in
1We must talk about the impacts of the war on drugs in our daily lives.
We want to debate our own problems and bring the discussion on drug policy to our routine.
2We need to think of alternatives to the war on drugs from the perspective of favelas.
Change is already coming, and not always in a positive sense. That is why we need transformation and information that include us.
3The youth must be the protagonist of change.
We are dying. We are the ones who are losing friends, family, and opportunities because of this failed policy. We need to lead this debate, which is currently restricted to privileged areas of knowledge.
4We need to strengthen harm reduction and mental health strategies in the favelas.
The war on drugs also impacts the physical and mental health of the people who live in these territories, so they must be a priority.
Our methodology
How we work
1We create tools...
To help broaden the debate on drug policy reform inside the favelas, and from our perspective. A good example is the booklet we created a booklet on drug policy (you can download it here).2We train young people...
From favelas and peripheries of Brazil on drug policy reform, so they can share our content among their friends, families and communities.3We organize grassroots activities in the favelas...
Aiming at broadening and democratizing traditional spaces and narratives on drug policy reform.4We build networks...
Among groups, collectives and initiatives led by young people from favelas who are interested in changing current drug policies. We currently maintain a national network of young activists from different Brazilian favelas called Movimente-se.5We occupy spaces of debate and decision...
On drug policy, bringing the perspective of favelas and peripheries to the center of the discussion.
Want to know more about this?
We have created a booklet with everything you need to know about this topic. Download it here!
Connect with us
By: Karina Donária, Jéssica Souto © 2020