I was born in the western area of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. At 6 years old I moved to the metropolitan part of the state. Since then I have been in contact with both sides and I have always seen what the weight of being Carioca is like (a name for those born in Rio de Janeiro). Violence does go hand in hand with me, but that's not what a Carioca knows about. Portraying the various faces of my reality including joy, faith, hope, love, compassion are also ways of protesting about my existence, and that is what I mean.