Prestes Maia | where do we go?

Prestes Maia, was considered the largest vertical occupation in Latin America. The building was an old textile factory abandoned more than 20 years ago, and the owners owe millions in taxes to the municipal government. Some 2,000 people were living there, members of the Downtown Homeless Movement.

I've been documenting some fragments of their social changes since june, 2005. It's a bit of the history of São Paulo's society, where I was born. The building, it's people, their constant fear of loosing everything, some smiles, the fight.

As one said:
"What supports this building it's not the building in itself, but this people".

More info can be found at the Brazil Social Photography Blog, at the link here:
Prestes Maia Exhibition
at Alegria Gallery, Los Angeles
Aug 9th, 2008

I use to lead a group "The Prestes Maia Hope", to support those families that have been living there.


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44 photos | 6,087 views

items are from between 02 Jul 2005 & 03 Aug 2008.