Our world has many superheroes.
But they have the worst of all superpowers: invisibility.
For example, the Catadores,
workers who collect recyclable materials for a living.
Catadores emerge from social inequality, unemployment,
and the abundance of solid waste
from the deficiency of the waste collection system.
Catadores provide heavy, honest and essential work
that benefits the entire population.
But they are not acknowledged for it.
Here in Brazil, they collect 90 percent of all the waste
that's actually recycled.
Most of the Catadores work independent ally,
picking waste on the streets and selling to junk yards
at very low prices.
They may collect over 300 kilos
in their bags, shopping carts, bicycles and carroças.
Carroças are carts built from wood or metal
and found in several streets in Brazil,
much like graffiti and street art.
And this is how I first found these marginalized superheroes .
I am a graffiti artist and activist
and my art is social, environmental and political in nature.
In 2007, I took my work beyond walls and onto the Carroças
as a new mode of support for my message.
But at this time, giving voice to the Catadores.
By adding art and humor to the cause,
it became more appealing,
which helped call attention to the Catadores
and improve their self esteem.
and now they are famous on the street, on mass media, in social.
The thing is, I plunged into this universe
and have not stopped working since.
I have painted over 200 Carroças in many cities
and have been invited to do exhibitions and trips worldwide.
And then I realized that Catadores, in their invisibility,
are not exclusive to Brazil.
I met them in Argentina, Chile, Bolivia South Africa, Turkey
and even developed countries such as the United States and Japan.
And this was when I realized
that I need to have more people join the cause.
It's a big challenge.
Then, I created a collaborative movement
called Pimp my Carroça,
a large crowd fund event,
(Applause)
Thank you.
So Pimp my Carroça is a large crowd fund event
to help Catadores in their Carroças.
Catadores are assisted by wealthy professionals
and healthcare-like physicians dentists, podiatrists,
stylists, and message therapists and much more.
But they also receive safety shirts, gloves, rain coats and eye glasses
to see, in high definition, the city.
Their Carroças are renovated by our incredible volunteers.
Then receive safety items, too:
reflective tapes, horns and mirrors.
Then, finally, painted by a street artist
and become part of part of this huge, amazing bio-art exhibition.
Pimp my Carroças took the streets
of Sao Paolo, Rio de Janeiro and Curitiba.
But to meet the demand in other cities,
including outside of Brazil,
we have created Pimpx
inspired by TEDx,
and it's a simplified, do it yourself,
crowdfund edition of Pimp my Carroça
so everybody can join.
In two years, over 170 Catadores
800 volunteers and 200 street artists
and more than 100 donors
have been involved in the Pimp my Carroça movement,
whose actions have even been used
to teach recycle at a local school.
So, Catadores are leaving invisibility behind
behind and becoming increasingly respected and valued.
Because of their pimped carroças, they are able to fight back prejudice,
increase their income and interaction with society.
So now, I'd like to challenge you
to start looking at and acknowledging the Catadores
and other invisible superheroes from your city.
Try to see the world as one, without boundaries and tiers.
Believe it or not,
there are over 20 million Catadores worldwide.
So next time you see one,
recognize them as a vital part of our society.
Mucho orbigado, thank you.
(Applause).