artífice

Herbert Badham

New piece commissioned by society6 and National Geographic.

Marielle Franco, a black brazilian woman, city council member in Rio. She was known for her social work, was one of the biggest voices agaist the military intervention in Rio, was always speaking up about the police violence against the community and on March 11st, she denounced the involvement of the police on the murdered of young boys in the favelas.

Yesterday, March 14th, Marielle was executed. Four shoots on her head. She was Targeted. They didn’t even tried to cover it up, the state sent a message and it was clear.

Marielle Franco, a councillor who dedicated her life to fight against institutional racism and police brutality, was shot dead in targeted killing in Rio de Janeiro today.

Franco was a black woman who defied the odds of Rio politics to win the fifth highest vote count among council members when she was elected in 2016. She was an expert on police violence, and on Saturday accused officers of being overly aggressive in searching residents of gang-controlled shantytowns. Being killed only a few days later, there are clear signs that this might have been the motivation for her execution.

It really makes you feel hopeless, to see how little the lives of black women matter in Brazil. Marielle, you shall never be forgotten! We bleed for you!