On 29 November 2025, leaders supported by the Quebrada em Movimento, Ozipa Criativa and Quilombo Amarais hubs took part in Expo Favela, in an action organised with support from CUFA, which made tickets and transport possible. The initiative, which brought together 30 participants from different territories in Campinas, was more than a study visit: it was a strategic move to strengthen networks, widen repertoires and bring our social entrepreneurs closer to national circuits of peripheral innovation.
A group of about 18 people gathered in front of a building at Expo Favela. They are smiling and posing for the photo, some making hand signs. Everyone looks relaxed, like participants in a group activity.
Why does it matter to bring leaders from the periphery to these spaces?
Taking part in events such as Expo Favela is part of the hubs’ territorial strengthening strategy, because it makes possible:
- Exposure to wider social innovation ecosystems Leaders gain access to solutions, methodologies and technologies developed in other peripheries across the country, generating inspiration and new reference points for their own projects.
- Wider networks and opportunities for collaboration Connecting local initiatives to entrepreneurs, collectives, social investors and organisations from different regions creates real possibilities for partnerships, mentoring, circulation and fundraising.
- Recognition and appreciation of peripheral leadership A presence at major events reinforces the power of the initiatives created in the territories, helping leaders to see themselves as active agents of social and economic development.
- Continuing training and professional updating Contact with talks, experiences and debates widens technical and strategic capabilities, strengthening participants’ decision-making and vision of the future.
By opening up access to environments that have historically excluded people from the periphery, we break structural barriers and open paths for knowledge to circulate more fairly.
People moving around and talking in an indoor space at the event, with a large illuminated panel in the background displaying the phrase “Casa da Potência”. The setting has vibrant lighting and a lively atmosphere among the participants.
Accounts that make the impact visible
Participants’ testimonies underline how relevant this mobilisation was:
- Giovani, of CGInk Tattoo, highlighted the diversity at the event: “Expo Favela was very diverse, with people from all over the country. Being able to see other artists, entrepreneurs and leaders from the periphery and to get to know their projects was very important to me.” His account shows how exposure to multiple aesthetics, languages and solutions widens creative references and prompts new approaches to work within the territory.
- Weslen, a leader in the territory, also reported the positive effects of the experience: “Going to the event was very rewarding. Beyond making connections with leaders from several states and strengthening my network, I could also support people from here in Campinas who went to present their work.” The testimonies reinforce two central points: the importance of circulating nationally in order to build new collaboration networks, and the strengthening of collective self-esteem that comes from seeing artists and initiatives from one’s own city occupying prominent spaces.
Mobilisation as a territorial development strategy
Going to Expo Favela is not an isolated action, but part of a mobilisation policy that understands in-person participation in major events as a structuring tool for:
- democratising access to technological and cultural knowledge;
- promoting experiences that foster autonomy and an entrepreneurial outlook;
- placing leaders from the periphery within professional and institutional circuits;
- encouraging the creation of innovative solutions grounded in local reality;
- strengthening individual and community self-esteem.
People seated on the bus, smiling and raising their hands in a lively mood during the journey to the event.
When we make this kind of circulation possible, we widen horizons, bring realities closer together and reinforce the role of the hubs as drivers of territorial development.
Conclusion
The participation of the hubs’ leaders in Expo Favela 2025 demonstrated, in practice, how mobilisation actions widen repertoires, strengthen networks and amplify initiatives from the periphery. By ensuring that these agents have access to spaces of innovation and recognition, we contribute to building territories that are stronger, better connected and able to produce solutions that answer their own realities.
Casa Hacker reaffirms its commitment to supporting actions that promote technological inclusion, community strengthening and the circulation of knowledge — because when the periphery occupies these spaces, the whole ecosystem gains.