Weekly in Ribeirão Retro, Brazil, young people and senior citizens meet to discuss issues relating to climate change through the art of theater. They are planning and rehearsing a performance, set for late 2024, in front of policy makers to influence change in the legislation.
Problems and Purpose
The problems addressed by this program are climate change and community engagement in climate policy. The project aims to help formulate the city’s new Climate Change Plan and raise awareness about the disproportionate effects of climate change on marginalized populations through legislative theatre performed in front of policymakers.
Background History and Context
The climate crisis has impacted the community in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil through issues such as flooding, air pollution, and urban heat islands, which create and exacerbate many challenges for those living there[2]. After CERPO graduated from the Climate Democracy Accelerator (CDA), a plan was created for those affected by the climate crisis to have a voice in policymaking. Edgar Reinaldo Prandin, a representative of the Climate Democracy and CERPO, stated that his goal when crafting this idea was to reinvent a system that did not actively include the community that the issues directly affected[1]. For the first time in this community, weekly meetings in 2024 brought together young people and seniors from the city’s outskirts to perform in a theater initiative led by the Centro de Referência Popular (CERPO). This initiative uses performance arts to express their experiences and advocate for more community-led urban planning[1]. Through legislative theater, which was invented in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 1992, participants hope to influence policymakers by bringing fresh perspectives to environmental advocacy, ultimately promoting community-driven solutions and increased interest in community advocacy [6].
Organizing, Supporting, and Funding Entities
CERPO and CDA are the primary organizing entities for the project. Additionally, the São Paulo State Department of Culture funded the project. Edgar Reinaldo Prandini is the organizer and facilitator. He is sponsored by the previously mentioned organizations and trained for five months through a People Powered accelerator program. During the training, he planned and ran this program, leading the Saturday meetings and performance practices, while CERPO organized the connection to local government. People Powered provided training and mentors for Edgar during the planning and initial implementation process. The teaching style Edgar uses was developed through his prior teaching experiences and the People Powered training. Edgar is the only teacher/ facilitator, no additional training or facilitators were needed.
Participant Recruitment and Selection
The recruitment for the theatre program was specifically aimed at recruiting both young people and senior citizens in the community of Ribeirão Preto. The recruitment involved outreach to the outskirt communities of the Ribeirão Preto area in Brazil, who are the people most directly impacted by climate change related issues. Outreach efforts aimed to increase involvement and interest. All the recruitment strategies were not listed but were likely facilitated through community outreach led by CERPO. The number of participants varied weekly, and while attendance of participants is taken, it is not enforced. Participants are not provided with monetary or food-based incentives.
Methods and Tools Used
The main method of the community program used was participatory research[3]. People were asked to share their feelings and thoughts about climate change and its impact on their lives. During the workshop sessions facilitated by CERPO, participants brainstormed and developed plans for the plays and scenes[4]. This would be a collaborative effort to include as many participants’ ideas and participation as possible.
The community program also used legislative theater, using theater to enact policy change[5]. The program used volunteers that were young individuals and senior citizens in the community of Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. Climate Democracy Accelerator’s mentorship and guidance through the planning process and program was a big resource while conducting the research. Together, these methods were chosen to get the community involved in new ways and through diverse perspectives.
What Went On: Process, Interaction, and Participation
During the program, participants of varying ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds, would meet once a week to discuss what they thought or felt when thinking about the issues related to climate change. These discussions fostered a sense of community through the sharing of life experiences between people. Through the newfound understanding of each person’s experiences, participants draft a script, plan stage elements, and cast the ensemble. Once casts were made, the program encouraged participants to attend on a consistent basis to support the development of the performance.
Once the play was casted and practiced sufficiently, invitations to shows were extended to policymakers in the community and surrounding municipalities. The policymakers are expected to use the insights from the performance to inform the future climate policy changes. The initiative represents an important first step toward integrating community voices into policymaking processes.
Influence, Outcomes, and Effects
The theater community program achieved its intended goals because not only did the community become more involved and invested into the policies affecting climate change, but it also provided them with a platform to present their perspective directly to legislative decision-makers. The program had a significant impact on the community of Ribeirão Preto in a multitude of ways. The community reported feeling significantly more empowered in their voices and expressing their views on issues that are affecting them[1]. The trust in the government increased within the community due to the inclusion of their voices. Additionally, the program raised awareness of climate-related challenges, such as flooding, air pollution, urban heat islands among both the community and policymakers[1]. While the final outcome is to hopefully impact the policy itself and make the changes the community advocated for, the initiative has laid important groundwork for future change.
Analysis and Lessons Learned
The main takeaway is that no matter how small or insignificant an act of community empowerment can be, it can make a difference in the lives of an entire community. While the policy change may take time, incorporating community voices is an essential step toward more inclusive governance. The consistency of the workshops and participation can lead to overall increase in community participation and participation in further participatory democracy activities[3][5].
Irregular attendance and participation posed challenges, particularly because theatre productions require people to play specific roles. Future iterations of the program could benefit from more incentives to increase consistent participation.
The effect of the participation can be evaluated by the effect on policy or the participation within the Ribeirão Preto, Brasil. It can also be measured in the ideas and participation within the program. As CERPO aims to expand into neighboring cities, future efforts of the program would need to consider impacts on the participants, audience members, and policymakers.
See Also
https://participedia.net/method/community-based-participatory-research
https://participedia.net/method/training-workshop
https://participedia.net/method/forum-theatre
References
[1] Luz, A. (2024, April 22). Performing climate democracy: How a city in Brazil is using legislative theater to influence policy. People Powered. https://www.peoplepowered.org/news-content/performing-climate-democracy-how-a-city-in-brazil-is-usin g-legislative-theater-to-influence-policy
[2] “Brazil Climate Change Country Profile: Climate.” U.S. Agency for International Development, 31 Oct. 2024, www.usaid.gov/climate/country-profiles/brazil.
[3] “Community-Based Participatory Research.” Participedia, participedia.net/method/community-based-participatory-research. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.
[4] “Workshop.” Participedia, participedia.net/method/training-workshop. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.
[5] “Forum Theatre.” Participedia, participedia.net/method/forum-theatre. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.
[6] Legislative theater. People Powered. (n.d.). https://www.peoplepowered.org/legislative-theater
External Links
https://www.peoplepowered.org/news-content/performing-climate-democracy-how-a-city-in-brazil-is- u sing-legislative-theater-to-influence-policy
https://www.usaid.gov/climate/country-profiles/brazil
Notes
The first version of this case entry was written by Sierra Ross, a Master of Public Service candidate at the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, and then edited. The views expressed in the entry are those of the authors, editors, or cited sources, and are not necessarily those of the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service.
