Society. Spaces. Screens

Abstract

In 2021, the Homeless Workers’ Movement (MTST), one of the most significant urban social movements advocating for housing in Brazil and Latin America, launched the Solidarity Kitchens project. These facilities, located in urban centers and the outskirts of various Brazilian cities, provide daily free lunches to low-income families and individuals experiencing homelessness. The kitchens are supported through volunteer work, online fundraising campaigns, and food donations. In October 2024, 59 MTST Solidarity Kitchens were operating across Brazil three years after its inception. Transforming physical space into an MTST Solidarity Kitchen involves adapting it through renovations and preparations into a suitable place for meal preparation and distribution. These actions are carried out collectively, driven by the engagement of activists and local community members, predominantly women. A significant aspect of this initiative is creating the space’s ambiance, where murals are painted and messages and slogans are inscribed, reinforcing the importance of collaborative work, solidarity, and the fight for rights. This practice holds a symbolic dimension through “mística” (performances such as collective singing of songs unique to the movement), a crucial element in constructing and consolidating a narrative that celebrates popular power. This article aims to gain a deeper understanding of how this narrative is crafted within the Solidarity Kitchens context and how it is disseminated through MTST’s social media channels.