In this photo, he is learning about life in a favela from Leandro, who accompanied the POCC delegation from the United States on half of its work-intensive tour around Brazil. "Leandro's wife had cooked the only soulfood dinner, consisting of beans, rice, cornbread and bananas, that I ate in Brazil," says MOI JR.

The favelas in Brazil are a step down from the ghettos in economic terms but a step up from the cities, he explains, "as most are built on steep hillsides, while more affluent communities are built on the flatlands. Usually, they are unrecognized neighborhoods, where the government doesn't provide basic things like electricity, mail, water or sanitation. This particular favela, in Sao Paolo, had electricity."

Leaders from within the favelas govern them independent of the Brazilian government, he said. Checkpoints in the upper reaches of most favelas prevent police raids, allowing residents to shoot down at any police foolish enough to invade. See more photos in the gallery at sfbayview.com, and look for much more news from Brazil next week.

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