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Our world has 
many superheroes.

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But they have the worst of
all superpowers: invisibility.

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For example, the Catadores,

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workers who collect recyclable 
materials for a living.

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Catadores emerge from social 
inequality, unemployment,


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and the abundance 
of solid waste


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from the deficiency of the
waste collection system.

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Catadores provide heavy, 
honest and essential work

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that benefits the entire population.

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But they are not 
acknowledged for it.

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Here in Brazil, they collect
90 percent of all the waste

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that's actually recycled.

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Most of the Catadores 
work independent ally,

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picking waste on the streets
and selling to junk yards

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at very low prices.

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They may collect over 300 kilos

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in their bags, shopping carts,
bicycles and carroças. 


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Carroças are carts built 
from wood or metal

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and found in several 
streets in Brazil,

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much like graffiti and street art.

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And this is how I first found 
these marginalized superheroes .

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I am a graffiti artist and activist

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and my art is social, environmental 
and political in nature.

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In 2007, I took my work beyond walls
and onto the Carroças

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as a new mode of 
support for my message.

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But at this time, giving
voice to the Catadores.

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By adding art and humor
to the cause,

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it became more appealing,

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which helped call attention
to the Catadores

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and improve their self esteem.

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and now they are famous on the street, 
on mass media, in social.

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The thing is, I plunged 
into this universe

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and have not stopped 
working since.

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I have painted over 200 Carroças
in many cities

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and have been invited to do
exhibitions and trips worldwide.

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And then I realized that Catadores,
in their invisibility,

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are not exclusive to Brazil.

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I met them in Argentina, Chile, 
Bolivia South Africa, Turkey

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and even developed countries such as
the United States and Japan.

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And this was when I realized

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that I need to have more
people join the cause.

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It's a big challenge.

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Then, I created a collaborative movement

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called Pimp my Carroça,

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a large crowd fund event,

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(Applause)

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Thank you.

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So Pimp my Carroça is a large
crowd fund event

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to help Catadores 
in their Carroças.

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Catadores are assisted by
wealthy professionals

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and healthcare-like physicians
dentists, podiatrists,

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stylists, and message therapists
and much more.

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But they also receive safety shirts, 
gloves, rain coats and eye glasses

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to see, in high definition, the city.

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Their Carroças are renovated
by our incredible volunteers.

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Then receive safety items, too:

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reflective tapes, horns and mirrors.

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Then, finally, painted 
by a street artist

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and become part of part of this
huge, amazing bio-art exhibition.

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Pimp my Carroças took
the streets

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of Sao Paolo, Rio de Janeiro
and Curitiba.

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But to meet the demand
in other cities,

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including outside of Brazil,

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we have created Pimpx

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inspired by TEDx,

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and it's a simplified, do it yourself,

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crowdfund edition of Pimp my Carroça

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so everybody can join.

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In two years, over 170 Catadores

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800 volunteers and 200 street artists

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and more than 100 donors

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have been involved in the 
Pimp my Carroça movement,

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whose actions have even been used

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to teach recycle at a local school.

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So, Catadores are leaving 
invisibility behind

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behind and becoming increasingly
respected and valued.

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Because of their pimped carroças,
they are able to fight back prejudice,

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increase their income and 
interaction with society.

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So now, I'd like to challenge you

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to start looking at and 
acknowledging the Catadores

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and other invisible superheroes
from your city.

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Try to see the world as one, 
without boundaries and tiers.

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Believe it or not,

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there are over 20 million 
Catadores worldwide.

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So next time you see one,

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recognize them as a vital part
of our society.

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Mucho orbigado, thank you.

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(Applause).