Young Brazilians bring geek culture to São Paulo outskirts

If there was any doubt the 21st Century is all about inclusion, representativity, and recognition, Diana Prince, T’Challa, Carol Danvers and many others made sure to smash it with their superhuman strength. However, in real life, finding your space to fit in is often harder than defeating Thanos—especially if you are a poor kid in one of the most unequal countries in the world.

With the odds stacked against them, seven kids from the poor outskirts of São Paulo claimed their own place in a culture dominated by white-male representations and expensive hobbies. Together, they decided it was about time the geek world they love met their very own reality. With no money or experience (or superpowers) they managed to gather 4,000 people in Capão Redondo, one of the poorest neighborhoods of São Paulo, to talk about comics, games, movies, cosplay, digital culture, and fiction.

Perifacon, the first nerd fest hosted in a peripheral Brazilian neighborhood, was born.

More than just an event to buy superhero comics, Perifacon became a rare chance for young artists to exhibit their works and for kids to have access to a culture they would otherwise be unable to afford. What’s more, it helped put poorer communities on the forefront of an increasingly popular cultural movement, showing that these neighborhoods are much more than the drugs-and-violence image we see in the news

Gabrielly Oliveira, a 23-year-old Perifacon producer, remembers that it all started when two of her friends wanted to go to CCXP, the Brazilian edition of Comic-Con and currently the largest comic convention in the world. However, only one of them...