Catalytic Communities

In 2000, the organization was founded by Theresa Williamson while completing her PhD in city planning at the University of Pennsylvania.{{cite web |title=Theresa Williamson |url=https://www.americasquarterly.org/content/theresa-williamson |website=Americas Quarterly}} She has won numerous prizes and awards, including the 2005 Gill-Chin Lim Award for Best Dissertation on International Planning, the 2012 National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials Award for her contributions to the international housing debate, and the 2018 American Society of Rio prize for her contributions to the city.{{cite web |title='Catalytic Communities' with Theresa Williamson |url=https://luskin.ucla.edu/theresa-williamson |website=UCLA News}} Williamson previously worked as a Network & Communications Consultant for the Forests Now campaign in Oxford, United Kingdom, and as a translator and English instructor to the General Ombudsman's Office in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.{{Citation needed|date=May 2020}}

CatComm has adopted the following principles as part of its mission, referred to as The Nine Elements of CatComm's Approach:{{cite web |title=The Nine Elements of CatComm's Approach |url=https://catcomm.org/approach/ |website=Catalytic Communities}}

• I. Clearly Defined Mission, Evolving Strategy.
• II. Locally-Led Initiatives, Mutual Learning and Trust at the Core.
• III. Ongoing Documentation, Situational Analysis and Contextualization.
• IV. Multiple Points of Entry.
• V. Culture of Experimentation and Non-Attachment.
• VI. Network-based Approach. Some Resemblance to Movement Organizing.
• VII. Ongoing, Real-time Data Collection.
• VIII. Continuous Reflection and Adaptation.
• IX. Scaling by Example

Two of the CatComm's early initiatives were the Community Solutions Database (CSD) and Casa do Gestor Catalisador. The CSD, the internet's first open-access database of detailed community solutions.{{cite web |title=Community Solutions Database (2001-2008) |url=https://catcomm.org/csd/ |website=Catalytic Communities}} Available in Portuguese, English and Spanish, the database was designed to allow community activists and organizers to share ideas, disseminate information, and document best practices.{{cite book |last1=Black |first1=Jan Knippers |title=Latin America: Its Problems and Its Promise: A Multidisciplinary Introduction |date=2010 |publisher=Westview Press |location=Boulder, CO |isbn=9780813344003 |page=9}} The initiative had received international recognition for its network of 6,000+ members and its impact on local communities in Brazil.{{cite web |title=Announcement: CatComm's Community Solutions Database on Education, Skill-building, Business & Econom |url=https://nextbillion.net/announcement-catcomms-community-solutions-database-on-education/ |website=Next Billion}}{{cite web |title=The WMD's DemocracyNews |url=http://www.humiliationstudies.org/news-old/archives/000828.html |website=Humiliation Studies}} Over 250 solutions in 21 countries have been documented in the CSD.{{cite web |title=Help Save Rio de Janeiro's Favelas |url=http://www.heritableinnovationtrust.org/blog/save-rio-de-janiero-favelas |website=Heritable Innovation Trust}} While much of this early work was not concerned with direct political action, it effectively brought social projects into the conversation of how to improve local communities using the technology available at the time.{{cite book |last1=Black |first1=Jan Knippers |title=Latin America: Its Problems and Its Promise: A Multidisciplinary Introduction |date=2010 |publisher=Avalon Publishing |isbn=9780813344003 |page=9}}

Along with its CSD network, CatComm also initially ran a community center in Rio de Janeiro known as Casa do Gestor Catalisador (Casa Community Technology Hub).{{cite news |last1=Kim |first1=Eugene Eric |title=Catalytic Communities' Secret Sauce: Trust |url=http://eekim.com/2006/11/catalytic-communities-secret-sauce-trust/ |agency=Eugene Eric Kim |date=2006}} From 2003 to 2008, the Hub offered a physical meeting place for community leaders to discuss and plan new projects. Based in Rio's central historic port area, the Casa attracted over 1,000 local leaders and 400 external professionals (journalists, activists, professors, students) from 22 nations to engage in new projects.{{cite web |title=Casa Community Technology Hub (2003-2008) |url=https://catcomm.org/casa/ |website=Catalytic Communities}} In 2006, it won the Tech Award from the Silicon Valley Tech Museum.{{cite web |title=Awards |url=https://catcomm.org/awards/|website=Catalytic Communities}} That same year, the United Nations Habitat recognized the Casa as one of the 70 "Actionable Ideas" of urban sustainability.{{cite book |title=70 Actionable Ideas for the World Urban Forum 3 |date=2006 |publisher=United Nations |url=http://globe.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/actionable_ideas_workbook_en.pdf}} With its goals being accomplished through the evolution of technology and digital platforms, both the CSD and Casa were terminated in 2008.{{Cite web|title=Community Organizer Thinks Globally - Swarthmore College Bulletin|url=https://bulletin.swarthmore.edu/bulletin-issue-archive/archive_p=468.html|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-05}}

File:BR-rio-hafen-favela.jpg in Rio de Janeiro]]

In 2008, CatComm further expanded operations with online publishing and social media engagement. This took the form of RioOnWatch, a local news site based on the group's 1,200 community leaders and 200 favelas.{{cite web |last1=Savchuk |first1=Katia |title=No more 'rat kids': Fighting the way we think about the residents of Rio's favelas |url=https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2016/dec/05/local-journalists-changing-way-media-reports-rios-favelas-brazil |website=The Guardian}} During the 2016 Summer Olympics, CatComm and RioOnWatch were particularly active in working to prevent forced evictions and protection local neighborhoods. The municipal government of Rio de Janeiro pushed for the removal of local neighborhoods to create wealthier ones, such as in the favelas of Indiana, Babilônia, Vidigal, Vila União de Curicica, Metrô-Mangueira, and Horto.{{cite web |last1=Hilderbrand |first1=Rachel |last2=Schlotterbeck |first2=Jonas |title=Rio de Janeiro's Bitter 2016 Olympic Evictions |url=http://www.coha.org/rio-de-janeiros-bitter-2016-olympic-evictions/ |website=Council on Hemispheric Affairs}} In response, CatComm conducted workshops, produced educational material, and sought to protect the 1.4 million people in Rio de Janeiro's favelas.{{cite news |last1=Scharfstein |first1=Joy |title=Three students win Labouisse Prize for projects in Sierra Leone and Brazil |url=https://www.princeton.edu/news/2013/03/13/three-students-win-labouisse-prize-projects-sierra-leone-and-brazil |agency=Princeton University News |date=2013}} There were also numerous educational programming campaigns on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, WordPress, and Blogger that brought international attention to the cause.{{cite news |last1=Ruvolo |first1=Julie |title=Why Brazil Is Actually Winning The Internet |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/jruv/why-brazil-is-actually-winning-the-internet |agency=Buzzfeed |date=2014}}

A pivotal moment in CatComm's history was the Summer Olympics in 2016. It recognized that Olympic organizers consistently pushed the notion that the Olympic Games were good for cities and countries, and evidence suggested that mainstream media outlets tended to disseminate a similar message.{{cite web |last1=Robertson |first1=Cerianne |title=Strategic Alternative Media at the Rio 2016 Olympics |url=https://spark.adobe.com/page/uVRETg148BqLb/ |website=Adobe Spark}} They denounced the translation of Rio's favela neighborhoods as "slums" or "ghettos" which painted an inaccurate picture of the working-class neighborhoods. In turn, international press organizations highlighted the gap between the government's rhetoric and the more complicated reality of Rio through the work of CatComm.{{cite news |last1=Robertson |first1=Cerianne |title=How not to write about Rio |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/how-not-to-write-about-rio-de-janeiro-2016-olympic-and-paralympic-games-media-coverage/ |agency=Politico |date=2016}} CatComm thus promoted the image of favelas as culturally rich and economically vibrant communities that maintained historic architecture in the face of increased gentrification. Subsequent articles published in Time, The New York Times, NBC, and BBC on Rio's favelas turned to Williamson and CatComm for localized knowledge.{{cite news |last1=Gregory |first1=Sean |title=Meet the Impoverished Brazil Residents Who Won't Move for the Olympics |url=https://time.com/4143887/rio-de-janeiro-olympics-favelas-eviction/?xid=homepage |agency=Time}}{{cite news |last1=Saliba |first1=Emmanuel |title=As Olympic Games Open, Community Mourns Demolished Neighborhood |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/2016-rio-summer-olympics/olympic-games-open-community-mourns-demolished-neighborhood-n622861 |agency=NBC |date=2016}}

After the Olympics in 2016, RioOnWatch shifted its focus to influencing public policy. It has since aimed to inform international development organizations, publish columns specific to Brazil's favela communities, highlight successful organization strategies, popularize innovative urban planning concepts, and documenting the legacy of the Olympics on favelas. It released two films, Favelas as a Sustainable Model and Weaving the Sustainable Favela Network to document the spark global dialogue on the topic and were met with international acclaim.{{cite web |title=Favela as a Sustainable Model |url=https://catcomm.org/favela-modelo/ |website=Catalytic Communities}} The former was the recipient of the Best Mid-Length Film Award at the Cine Periferia Pai D’égua Film Festival in Belém.{{cite web |title=Awards |url=https://catcomm.org/awards/ |website=Catalytic Communities}} According to its more recent annual report in 2019, RioOnWatch had an increased readership of 50% with over 3,2000 articles published and 350,000 people reached per month.{{cite web |title=2019 Annual Report |url=https://catcomm.org/annual-report-2019-rioonwatch/ |website=RioOnWatch}} Moreso, RioOnWatch itself was award the Webbys Honoree in the “Best Communities” category in 2016.{{cite web |title=RioOnWatch: Rio Olympics Favela Neighborhood Watch |url=https://www.webbyawards.com/winners/2016/websites/general-website/community/rioonwatch-rio-olympics-favela-neighborhood-watch/?/ |website=The Webbys Awards}}

In 2017, CatComm launched the Sustainable Favela Network (SFN) which focused on sustainable initiatives in local communities. The organization mainly works with favelas to tackle environmental issues, including waste management, community gardens, environmental preservation, and sustainable technology.{{cite web |last1=Mendes |first1=Karla |title=Brazil Slum Uses Green Solution to Treat Its Waste and Sewerage |url=https://www.brazzil.com/brazil-slum-uses-green-solution-to-treat-its-waste-and-sewerage/ |website=Brazzil}} A survey by the SFN found that 85% of the favela organizations wanted to install solar panels and transition to other sustainable technologies.{{cite web |last1=Melo |first1=Thailane |title=40 organizações que levam energia às favelas e unem contra proposta federal de prejudicar as perspectivas da energia solar |url=https://www.opetroleo.com.br/40-organizacoes-que-levam-energia-as-favelas-e-unem-contra-proposta-federal-de-prejudicar-as-perspectivas-da-energia-solar/ |website=O Petróleo}} SFN was also a major attempt to promote international dialogue on the topic of sustainability through mapping initiatives and quantitative analysis.{{cite news |title=Rio Residents Try to Bring Green to a Concrete Jungle |url=https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2020/01/27/world/americas/ap-lt-brazil-greening-rio.html |agency=The New York Times |date=2020}}{{cite web |title=Sustainable Favela Network Now Mapped |url=https://catcomm.org/sfn-launch/ |website=Catalytic Communities}} Since 2018, SFN has also organized events through its annual network exchange.{{cite web |title=3rd Sustainable Favela Network Exchange of 2019: Graffiti, Composting, Recycling at RONGO, in Pavuna |url=https://catcomm.org/sfn-exchange-rongo-2019/ |website=RioOnWatch}} SFN recently published a major report, with support from the Heinrich Böll Stiftung Brasil, that documented CatComm's new mapping projects.{{cite book |title=Sustainable Favela Network Map (2017) |publisher=Catalytic Communities |url=http://catcomm.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Sustainable-Favela-Network-Map-2017-Final-Report.pdf}}

File:1 rocinha favela closeup.JPG of Rocinha, the largest favela in Rio]]

Most recently, CatComm began the Favela Community Land Trusts (CLTs) initiative. The grassroots-based model aims to support individual ownership of houses through collective ownership of land. This new model aims to protect against evictions and gentrification through tenure security.{{cite news |last1=Robertson |first1=David |last2=Williamson |first2=Theresa |title=The Favela as a Community Land Trust: A Solution to Eviction and Gentrification? |url=https://www.progressivecity.net/single-post/2017/05/02/THE-FAVELA-AS-A-COMMUNITY-LAND-TRUST-A-SOLUTION-TO-EVICTION-AND-GENTRIFICATION |agency=Progressive City |date=2017}} While the CLT-based model has existed for decades, CatComm's favela-focused CLT formalizes the process of home ownership. Studies have shown CLTs are effective in reducing speculation and displacement of marginalized communities in Latin America.{{cite journal |title=Community Land Trusts in Rio's Favelas Could Community Land Trusts in Informal Settlements Help Solve the World's Affordable Housing Crisis? |journal=Land Lines: Quarterly Magazine of the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy |date=July 2018 |volume=30 |issue=3 |url=https://www.lincolninst.edu/sites/default/files/pubfiles/land-lines-july-2018-full_2.pdf}} Further attempts to bring the CLT to other at-risk communities around the world, such as Caño Martín Peña communities in Puerto Rico, have recently begun.{{cite web |title=Favela Community Land Trusts |url=https://catcomm.org/favela-community-land-trust/ |website=Catalytic Communities}} The report compiled evidence to show the desires of favela communities to undertake new social and environmental projects. These neighborhoods would then be given a sense of "control" as they were integrated into the formal city.{{cite web |last1=Flint |first1=Anthony |title=Letting Slum Residents Control Their Own Destiny |url=https://www.citylab.com/equity/2018/02/letting-slum-residents-control-their-own-destiny/554120/ |website=CityLab}} Since its founding, SFN has made a tangible impact on the Rio de Janeiro, with 54% of its organizations women-led and over 150 initiatives planned.{{cite web |title=Sustainable Favela Network Facts |url=https://catcomm.org/get-to-know-the-sustainable-favela-network/ |website=Catalytic Communities}} As of today, the CLT working group has over 150 members in 67 institutions who regularly participated in community workshops and legislative proposals.{{cite web |title=2019 Annual Report |url=https://catcomm.org/annual-report-2019-catcomm/ |website=Catalytic Communities}}

Currently in its third phase of organizational development, CatComm's present mission is supporting sustainable and asset-based community development (ABCD) in Rio's favelas.{{cite web |title=CatComm's Organizational Life Cycle |url=https://catcomm.org/life-cycle/ |website=Catalytic Communities}} This cycle has been particularly supported by RioOnWatch's new Community Journalists' Network and the growth of the Favela CLTs. In Phase IV (2024–2030), according to its website, it will seek to expand its model of urban integration and social equity on a global scale.

• International development
• Sustainability organization
• Sustainable community
• Environmental community organizations

• Cities of the World: World Regional Urban Development, eds. Stanley D. Brunn, Maureen Hays-Mitchell, and Donald J. Zeigler (Rowman & Littlefield, 2008)
• Critical Care: Architecture and Urbanism for a Broken Planet, eds. Angelika Fitz and Elke Krasny (MIT Press, 2019)
• Educating Social Entrepreneurs, Volume II: From Business Plan Formulation to Implementation, eds. Paul Miesing and Maria Aggestam (Business Expert Press, 2017)
• Janice Perlman, Favela: Four Decades of Living on the Edge in Rio de Janeiro (Oxford University Press, 2010)
• Justin McGuirk, Radical Cities: Across Latin America in Search of a New Architecture (Verso Books, 2014)
• Matthew Aaron Richmond and Jeff Garmany, "‘Post-Third-World City' or Neoliberal ‘City of Exception'? Rio de Janeiro in the Olympic Era", International Journal of Urban and Regional Research 40, no. 3 (2016): 621–639.
• Occupy All Streets: Olympic Urbanism and Contested Futures in Rio de Janeiro, eds. Bruno Carvalho, Mariana Cavalcanti, and Vyjayanthi Venuturupalli Rao (Terreform, 2016)
• Perspecta 50: Urban Divides, eds. Meghan McAllister and Mahdi Sabbagh (MIT Press, 2017)
• Rio 2016: Olympic Myths, Hard Realities, ed. Andrew Zimbalist (Brookings Institution Press, 2017)
• Theresa Williamson, "Catalytic communities in Rio: virtual and face-to-face communities in developing countries", Journal of Urban Technology 10, no. 3 (2003): 85–109.

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://catcomm.org/}}
• [https://rioonwatch.org/ RioOnWatch]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3BRTlHFpBU Vox coverage of favelas]

Category:Non-profit organisations based in Brazil

Category:Non-profit organizations based in Washington, D.C.

Category:Organizations established in 2000

Category:Environmental organisations based in Brazil