FAYB - Feminist activism among youth in Brazil

This interdisciplinary project explores how young women engage with feminism, activism, and collective care across different contexts, focusing on participants in Favelas of Maré (Rio de Janeiro) and Durham (UK).

Through creative and participatory approaches, the project examines how young people reflect on identity, power, and gender-based violence, and how they develop strategies for resistance and social change.

Bringing together groups from Brazil and the UK, the project creates spaces for exchange, dialogue, and collaboration, enabling young women to share experiences and build connections across borders. It highlights the role of arts-based practices in amplifying youth voices and fostering collective expression.

Alongside the work with young women, the project also expanded to include Smiling Boys, a collaboration with Nigerian-British artist Kay Rufai. Working with young Black men from Maré, this strand uses photography, creative workshops, and conversations to explore masculinity, race, mental health, and joy as a form of resistance. Through collective reflection and artistic expression, participants engage with alternative narratives of masculinity, contributing to wider conversations on gender equality and social change.