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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 emerged 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 a heavy, 
honest and essential work

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that benefits the entire population.
But they are not acknowledged for it.

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Here in Brazil, they collect 90 percent
of all the waste that's actually recycled.

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Most of the catadores work independently,

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picking waste from the streets and 
selling to junk yards 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 met 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 urban 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,
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 also, they are famous now 
on the streets, on mass media and social.

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So, the thing is,

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I plunged into this universe 
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,

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Bolivia, South Africa, Turkey

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

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And this was when I realized that I needed
to have more people join the cause

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because it's a big challenge.

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And then, I created a collaborative 
movement called Pimp My Carroça --

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(Laughter) -- which is 
a large crowdfunded event.

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Thank you.

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(Applause).

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So Pimp My Carroça is a large 
crowdfunded event

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to help catadores and their carroças.

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Catadores are assisted by well-being 
professionals and healthcare,

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like physicians, dentists, podiatrists, 
hair stylists, massage therapists

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and much more.

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But also, they also receive safety shirts,
gloves, raincoats and eyeglasses

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to see in high-definition the city,

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while their carroças are renovated
by our incredible volunteers.

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And then they 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 mobile art exhibition.

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Pimp My Carroça took to the streets
of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Curitiba.

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But to meet the demand in other cities,
including outside of Brazil,

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we have created Pimpx,
which is inspired by TEDx,

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and it's a simplified, do-it-yourself,
crowdfunded edition of Pimp My Carroça.

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So now everybody can join.

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In two years, over 170 catadores,
800 volunteers and 200 street artists

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and more than 1,000 donors

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have been involved in the 
Pimp My Carroça movement,

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whose actions have even been used
in teaching recycling at a local school.

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So catadores are leaving 
invisibility behind

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and becoming increasingly
respected and valued.

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

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increase their income and 
their interaction with society.

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So now, I'd like to challenge you 
to start looking at and acknowledging

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the catadores and other 
invisible superheroes from your city.

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Try to see the world as one, 
without boundaries or frontiers.

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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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Muito obrigado, thank you.

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(Applause).