The Brazilian Institute for Community Studies and Support (IBEAC) and the Agroecological Cooperative of Rural Producers and Clean Water of the Southern Region of São Paulo (Cooperapas) continue to strengthen the campaign “Against Racism, I Plant,” which began on World Environment Day (June 5) and has already mobilized more than 800 volunteers, including children, adolescents, and young people, as well as 30 partner organizations and groups.
So far, 4,940 native Atlantic Forest trees have been planted in an area near the Nascentes do Ribeirão Colônia Park, land donated to IBEAC and Cooperapas. The campaign’s goal is to reach 10,639 trees, a number that refers to Law 10.639/2003, which made the teaching of Afro-Brazilian history and culture mandatory in schools. The reforestation of the area is a concrete act of environmental justice, while also combating environmental racism, which has historically impacted peripheral territories such as Parelheiros.
In Parelheiros, where more than half of the population (60%) is black or brown and almost half of the residents (48%) are under 29 years old, according to the Inequality Map, the environmental agenda is intrinsically connected to social and racial inequalities. The outskirts of São Paulo, “blacker and younger than the city average,” are also the ones that most face the effects of environmental degradation and the absence of public policies to protect their territories.
The next planting effort has already been scheduled for October 20, 2025. To participate, simply fill out the volunteer form: https://forms.gle/xod8LFJ2Bw1FaqMh9
A territory that flourishes together
Planting activities have become gatherings of affection, ancestry, art, and collective commitment, going beyond the simple act of putting seedlings in the ground. As Ketlin Santos, a resident of Parelheiros, puts it:
“This place that IBEAC is building with us allows us to realize the importance of experiencing sensitive processes in community and with different generations. We weren’t just planting, we were blossoming and feeding our souls. Nature and human beings are not separate; we are part of the environment much more than we usually imagine.”
Maria Amorim, a resident of Parelheiros and member of IBEAC, says that the sense of community is what most marked her experience with this Atlantic Forest regeneration action in Parelheiros:
“What struck me most was the sense of collectivity and community. At the time of planting, seeing everyone planting together was something very powerful for me, an experience that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.”
Each tree is a symbol of resistance, memory, and the future, reaffirming that the environmental struggle and the anti-racist struggle go hand in hand.
Art, memory, and mobilization
The campaign also connects with cultural and memory projects that strengthen local identity. The documentary series Memórias de Parelheiros (Memories of Parelheiros), which uses the Social Memory Technology methodology of the Museu da Pessoa (Museum of the Person), reaches its third season with the theme “Guardians of Life.” This edition highlights stories of those who protect the territory, care for nature, and strengthen community relations with wisdom and affection.
These memories will come to life in an immersive exhibition entitled “Forest of People,” in which totems with QR codes affixed between reforested trees will allow visitors to watch the stories directly in the Atlantic Forest. In addition, the Parelheiros Memory Center will attend COP30, bringing political, artistic, and cultural advocacy on the agenda of Environmental Justice and Environmental Racism to the international stage.
New dreams in the heart of the Atlantic Forest
The reforested land is also designed as a space for socializing, education, and culture. Among the projects envisioned is the creation of a Community Library in the Atlantic Forest, housed in adapted shipping containers. This innovative proposal combines nature, literature, and community life, offering children, young people, and adults in the area the opportunity to gather amid books and the forest.
Why reforest this area?
Reforesting an area of Atlantic Forest occupied by pine trees is essential for the ecological recovery of the biome. While pine trees, an exotic species, cause negative environmental impacts and reduce biodiversity, native trees restore the original vegetation and create conditions for the return of birds, insects, and wild animals.
In peripheral regions, historically occupied by black, indigenous, and traditional populations, environmental restoration is also a form of historical reparation and an important step toward guaranteeing the right to a healthy and sustainable environment.
To support the campaign:
Visit: ibeac.org.br/contra-o-racismo-eu-planto
Donate seedlings or resources, participate as a volunteer, and help mobilize more people.
For more information, interviews, or images, please contact:
Gabriel Razo – IBEAC Communications Coordinator
educomunica@ibeac.org.br | (11) 97821-4528
Instagram | @ibeacoficial
Website | ibeac.org.br
LinkedIn | Ibeac
About IBEAC
The Brazilian Institute for Community Studies and Support (IBEAC) is a social organization that believes in the transformative role of human relations and is dedicated to ensuring that territories such as Parelheiros are recognized as models of participatory, creative, and supportive citizenship. In Parelheiros, we work in five areas of access to human rights: Environment, Care, Educommunication, Social Entrepreneurship, and Literature.
About Cooperapas
Cooperapas – Agroecological Cooperative of Rural Producers and Clean Water of the Southern Region of São Paulo was founded in 2011 out of the desire of family farmers to transform the way they produced food. Driven by the search for healthier and more sustainable production, the cooperative brings together producers committed to environmental preservation, food security, and the valorization of family farming.