Who’s Rafael Braga Vieira? His saga is an example of what is happening to marginalized working people everywhere. To paraphrase James Baldwin: If they come for Rafael during the day, they will come for us at night. None of us is free until all of us are free to work with dignity and have our word respected.

Rafael Braga Vieira is a black and poor young man, who, until June of 2013, worked collecting material for recycling in downtown streets of Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. He lived on the streets in order to save money on his way back home – he didn’t return home everyday in Vila Cruzeiro (North zone), where he lived with his parents, brothers and sisters. However, on June 20, Rafael Braga’s routine changed.

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Since that day he’s been beaten, falsely accused, put in solidarity confinement, released, re-captured, in and out of court, and now sentenced (the defense is working on his appeal).

Life. Disrupted.
Disrupt your routine a little bit today to learn more about what our young family members around the world are experiencing.