On September 24th, the CEO of LCM Commodities, Pierre Lacaze, visited Rio and met with the young photographers who participated in the competition. LCM Commodities is a Carioca Fund’s corporate donor and partner. For Lacaze, the partnership with BrazilFoundation was very natural: “since the first time I was in Rio de Janeiro I knew that the success of my business depends on the success of this city,” he said “I want to bring clients to the World Cup and the Olympic Games, I had to do my part in helping to improve the living conditions of disadvantaged cariocas, and BrazilFoundation is the best channel for which to do that.”
During the visit, Lacaze met the students from the Babilônia/ Chapéu Mangueira Photography Wokshop taught by photographer Gabriel Paiva to about 10 youth. The students joined Pierre, Cecilia Perlingeiro, the Carioca Fund coordinator, and volunteers Manoel de Almeida e Silva and Regiane Bochichi, on an ecological trail that links the community to the Morro do Urubu hillside, the city’s highest peak with an incredible view, where students were able to take pictures. The classes, as Gabriel Paiva explained, are taught on Tuesday evenings and on Saturdays they do photo shoots.
The group followed to the Espírito Santa Restaurant in Santa Teresa, joining Maria do Rosário de Almeida Braga, a Carioca Fund volunteer. And the afternoon activities took place in Morro dos Prazeres, where the group was welcomed by Charles Siqueira, the photo contest coordinator, and the Instituto Pólen coordinator, along with young photographers from the region. A tour guide, also formed by community youth, led the group to the top of the community for a 360 ° view of the city below.
The group went to Instituto Pólen where they saw videos produced by the young participants of the Galera.com project. At the end the day, Pierre had the opportunity to join an exciting discussion with participants of the photo contest about their experience in participating in the contest, future expectations, self-esteem, and their overall impressions on new opportunities in their communities after they were “pacified”. The meeting ended with Lacaze’s speech about the special day they had and the importance of dedication and perseverance to achieve their dreams.
34 youth participated in the photo contest, which was divided into two age groups (14-17 and 18-24 years), from communities where the Pacifying Police Units (Unidade de Policia Pacificadora – UPP) are present: Babilônia, Chapéu Mangueira, Morro dos Prazeres, Fogueteiro, Escondidinho and Morro da Providência. The first two winners of the first group were invited by LCM Commodities to visit New York and to present their work at company’s end of year party. The two winners from the second group won a photography workshop at Ateliê da Imagem School in Rio de Janeiro. All 34 contestants will have their pictures in a book being produced by LCM Commodities to be distributed to clients and friends.
Photo Gallery
