Bahia Street » Bahia Street

Professor Vatin speaks about race and Candomble in Bahia

Bahia Street — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 18:02:02 +0000

In June 2010, a group of North Carolina teachers traveled to Bahia to learn about education in Brazil. During their visit, they met with Professor Xavier Vatin of the Universidade Federal do Recôncavo da Bahia in Cachoeira. Here is a sort clip of Professor Vatin’s talk on race and Candomble in Bahia.

A Tarde article about inequality in Brazil

Bahia Street — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 20:03:31 +0000

Rita recently shared this story about inequality in Brazil.

World View Teachers Visit Bahia Street Center

Bahia Street — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 21:23:58 +0000

In 2004, Bahia Street expanded its mission to include the education of people outside of Brazil about issues related to poverty, Brazilian society and culture, and locally-led social change projects. Bahia Street has led annual study trips and organized theme-based educational tours to support this mission, and it has partnered with a number of U.S. university departments in the past few years in the development of academic study abroad programs. This past June, Bahia Street had the opportunity to host public school teachers from North Carolina, organized by World View at the University of North Carolina, on a week-long exploration of education within Brazilian society. They met with Bahia Street staff, toured Salvador and Cachoeira, and visited a partner university to learn about Brazil’s higher education system. These teachers, now home, are thinking about ways to bring what they learned back into their classrooms. We appreciate the opportunity to foster greater education about our world. For more information about Bahia Street’s resources for K-12 educators, click here.

January Work Party

Bahia Street — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 20:55:19 +0000

January 10-21, 2011
Salvador da Bahia
“Volunteering at the Center allowed us to join an instant community, not be a traveler or outsider. The beauty of volunteering at the Bahia Street Center is that you can see the trail that you leave.”
Sign up now!

January 10-21, 2011: January Work Party

Bahia Street — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 20:50:21 +0000

“Volunteering at the Center allowed us to join an instant community, not be a traveler or outsider. The beauty of volunteering at the Bahia Street Center is that you can see the trail that you leave.”

The Bahia Street volunteer program is designed to give participants a personal experience with a social change organization working to promote education and equality. Volunteers contribute to Bahia Street’s mission by creating a positive environment in which Bahia Street students can learn and grow up in good health. Bahia Street offers experiences in which volunteers can work side-by-side Bahia Street staff members and learn through them about the issues facing Bahia Street students in Brazil.

WHAT: Each summer vacation in Salvador, Bahia Street organizes a team of people to help get the school ready for the new academic year (which begins in February). The building needs to be cleaned, painted, and reorganized for a new school year. Volunteers work under the direction of school director Rita Conceição. A highlight is the daily lunch the Bahia Street staff provides the work team.

WHO: January work party volunteers come from all backgrounds—students, teachers, mid-career professionals looking for a working holiday, and long-term visitors to Salvador looking for a local connection with an NGO. We aim to recruit up to 10 individuals who stay for two weeks.

WHEN: Arrive on January 8 or 9, 2011 to join the work party from January 10-21, 2011.

WHERE: Bahia Street Center, Salvador, located near Pelhourinho

COST: We request a donation of $300 to cover the cost of the paints and materials since they are not included in our monthly budget. This donation also pays for lunch and the staff time involved in organizing the work party.

ACCOMMODATION: Participants are responsible for securing their own accommodation and for all expenses. Recommendations and orientation manual provided.

SIGN UP: Application form and more information found here.

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August 7: Brasil vs. USA Soccer Benefit

Bahia Street — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 17:50:28 +0000

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT WITH GREAT ENERGY FOR THIS EVENT! TOGETHER YOU RAISED $2,000 FOR BAHIA STREET, AND HAD A LOT OF FUN! Pictures here.

Don’t miss Bahia Street’s “Brasil vs. USA” soccer game this Saturday, August 7th from 1-3 pm at Cal Anderson Park on Capitol Hill in Seattle. At half-time, there will be a Brazilian-style bateria/percussion group, “Unidos da Samba,” led by Will MacArthur, capoeira by FICA Seattle led by Contra Mestre Silvinho, and joining them will be Brazilian capoeirista and sambista, Francisco Pacifico.

The after-party, beginning at 3:30 pm, is at La Spiga (1429 12th Avenue, with all proceeds benefiting Bahia Street. A HUGE THANK YOU to La Spiga, All Nations Soccer Bar & Restaurant and Novo Fogo for their support!

WHEN: Saturday, August 7, 2010, 1pm – 3pm
WHERE: Cal Anderson Park/Bobby Morris Playfield, 1100 E Pine St, Seattle, Washington 98122

For more information, please email brasilvsusa@thelaporas.com.

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June 11: Summer Beat!

Bahia Street — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 18:14:12 +0000

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT IN SUPPORT OF BAHIA STREET! TOGETHER WE RAISED $2,700!

Bahia Street will launch the summer season with live Brazilian music and drumming, Capoeira, and dance performances.

Friday, June 11, 2010, 7:00pm – midnight
Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 4408 Delridge Way SW, West Seattle
Who: Bahia In Motion (dance), Bantos Capoeira Seattle (capoeira), FICA (capoeira), GiraSol (dance), Sambatuque (band), Tudo Beleza (dance), Vamola (drumming & dance)

Youngstown Cultural Arts Center will be transformed into a Brazilian festival with all of the sights, sounds and flavors of this fascinating country. Bringing together some of the best Brazilian performers in the region, the Summer Beat festival begins with a multi-age Capoeira roda (circle) featuring Bantos Capoeira Seattle, FICA, and other Seattle-based Capoeira groups. Seattle’s premier drum and dance ensemble— Vamola— will get everyone on their feet with the pulsating rhythms that bring to life the celebratory spirit of Carnaval. Vamola, Bahia in Motion, and Tudo Beleza dancers will transport us to Bahia with a Samba Reggae dance designed to get every audience member dancing as if on the streets of Salvador. Tudo Beleza dancers with their plumes of feathers and colorful costumes will further heat up the night dancing to the fast-paced and exciting Rio-Style Samba (Samba no Pe). Audience members will finish the evening dancing to band Sambatuque, accompanied by vibrant dancers from GiraSol, a Brazil-inspired Samba dance group.

The event will begin at 7pm and is intended for a 21 and older crowd (though children are welcome). Beer and wine will be available for purchase. Kitanda Café will provide authentic Brazilian food and drink.

Entrance with a requested $10 donation, with all proceeds benefiting Bahia Street.

Bahia Street is a non-profit organization based in Seattle, Salvador, and London, that breaks the cycle of poverty and violence through education. Bahia Street provides high quality education, health and nutrition services, leadership training, and community outreach with the goal of fostering greater equality for impoverished girls and their families living in the shantytowns of Salvador. Because of Bahia Street’s commitment to locally-driven social change, twelve girls have now entered university, and new initiatives focused on high school girls and the parents are supporting a next generation of activists able to work for change for their communities. www.bahiastreet.org

THANK YOU TO MARITIME BREWERY, CHATEAU STE MICHELLE, and ROCKRIDGE CIDERY FOR THEIR GENEROUS SUPPORT OF THIS EVENT!

Event poster

UW Press to publish Dance!

Bahia Street — Thu, 20 May 2010 17:34:13 +0000

Dance Lest We All Fall Down: Breaking Cycles of Poverty in Brazil and Beyond will be published by University of Washington Press in Fall 2010. It is available for order now.

When It Rains It Pours…

Bahia Street — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 18:30:10 +0000

It is the rainy season in Brazil, and the rains continue to cause destruction for those people who already live on the edge of survival. Pictures of floods in Rio have been shared by many news sources. Harder to find are pictures of the rains that are now hitting Salvador. I read one source yesterday that said that schools in Salvador were caused due to flooding in the streets. Indeed, we have experienced no luck getting through on the phones to Rita at the Bahia Street Center. Phone lines become unreliable when the weather turns. We will continue to monitor the situation and offer help as we can.

Rita has begun an evening class for 22 high school students. She determined at the end of last year that more support was needed to help high school-age girls get the education they need to get into university. They are receiving education in math, science, biology, and chemistry, as well as mentoring and social support as they have less time at the Center and find their own way in their public high schools. We are funding this program through donations and a grant that we received from the Oak Foundation in Switzerland.

And lastly, those of your in Seattle– mark your calendars! The 2nd annual Summer Beat dance party is scheduled to take place on Friday, June 11th, at the Youngstown building in West Seattle. All funds raised will support Bahia Street’s mission ending cycles of poverty and violence in Brazil. More information to come!

Stay Updated~

Bahia Street — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:36:39 +0000

An article was published about a recent yellow fever outbreak in a couple southern states in Brazil. According to the CDC, part of the state of Bahia is at risk for contracting yellow fever, but the area near the coast and Salvador is not included. Places with stagnant water and open sewage, like favelas and impoverished neighborhoods, are subject to increased risks with more areas for mosquitoes to breed. Many of Bahia Street’s students live in these kind of neighborhoods, but Bahia Street provides medical attention for each student. For more information about yellow fever and preventative methods read the Yellow Fever In Brazil article.