The Invisible Climate Warriors

Intersectional Approaches To Community Organizing In Settlement Upgrading In São Paulo’s Periphery

[2022-2023]

This action research project learns from community-led urbanization experiences in favelas and occupations through a gender and climate justice lens. The project has five objectives: (1) Learn about the everyday experiences of women and LGBTQIA+ residents in these communities; (2) Co-produce popular educational materials and action research activities that promote community adaptation and mitigation strategies; and (3) Recognize the role and contributions of women and LGBTQIA+ individuals in community resilience in absence of adequate public infrastructure and resources; (4) Amplify their voices within and beyond their communities through capacity building on climate change within the context of favelas & occupations; (5) Contribute to training and capacity building for new leadership through the lens of intersectionality for climate action relevant for women, LGBTQAI+ and racial minorities in favelas and occupations. Project partners include Anchieta, Pantanal, and Toka Communities, São Paulo’s Union of Housing Movement [UMM-SP], and Peabiru Trabalhos Comunitários e Ambientais. Sponsored by UM-Graham Institute Catalyst Grants, UM-Taubman College Pressing Matters, and UM-Institute for Research on Women and Gender.

[COMMUNITY ORGANIZING]

Project collaborators include:

• Mieko Yoshihama – University of Michigan, Social Work
• Odessa Gonzalez Benson – University of Michigan, Social Work

Student research assistants include:

• Yunsong Liu – Master of Urban Design
• Srishti Jaipuria – Master of Urban & Regional Planning