A neighborhood in Morro Santo Amaro, south of Rio de Janeiro, has begun to concentrate children, adolescents and residents around skateboarding, artistic and cultural activities. Inaugurated in March this year, the Santo Amaro Skatepark is the latest community workspace that the Ademafia Institute has been developing in the region for five years.
Established on the hill itself, the institute reaches the milestone of half a decade of continuous activity in the community and has held an open event this Saturday (13) to celebrate its journey. According to the organization, more than 300 children and adolescents have participated in activities since its creation.
Even before the construction of the skatepark, Ademafia already offered skateboarding lessons in improvised spaces, educational workshops and cultural activities. The new equipment, built as a joint effort with residents, partners and volunteers, brought these initiatives together into one fixed point, expanding access and frequency of activities.
The constant presence of community actions takes on even more importance in light of recent episodes that have marked life on the hill, such as the death of young Herus Guimarães Mendes, aged 23, during a police operation carried out in the middle of the June community festival, at the beginning of June. The case sparked unrest among residents and protests from family members and human rights organizations.
Without losing the dimension of pain, local initiatives like the Ademafia Institute continue to focus on occupying public space in a creative and positive way. “It is not an institute, but an entire territory that creates together. The strength is in the community,” explains Ademar Lucas, creator of the project.
In addition to regular activities, the institute organizes exhibitions, cultural circles, skateboard championships and musical performances, also involving children and adolescents in the organization of actions. The proposal is to strengthen ties, expand access to culture and create spaces for coexistence within the community itself.
The five-year celebration takes place this Saturday, with programming around the Santo Amaro skatepark. Sports activities, creative workshops, art and photography exhibitions, musical performances, cultural circles and documentary screenings are planned, bringing together residents, young people and partner groups.
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