Jailson De Souza E Silva

Biography:

Geographer, doctor in Sociology of Education. Founder of the Observatório de Favelas and Uniperiferias/IMJA. Co-investigator at the MIDEQ Hub. He was born in a suburb of Rio de Janeiro in a poor family. When he was 13, Jaílson began participating in a Catholic youth group supporting prison inmates. In the 1980s he became active in student movements and then joined the Workers Party. He was closely connected to the Liberation Theology movement, which led him to work with popular education in the peripheral areas of the city. Jailson was the only member of his family to enter university. He continued his political party work and had advanced to a senior position in the Political Training Secretariat when in 1991 the party began a process of professionalizing—meaning that he had to choose between the party and another professional career. He decided to leave his position in the party and accept a position as professor at the Fluminense Federal University. Through his work in social movements, he met Eliana, his future wife, and in 1997 they created the Maré Center for Solidary Studies and Actions in the favela of Maré, where Eliana lived. Through CEASM they carried out a range of projects involving education and community development. At the same time Jaílson worked at the University and created a range of programs aimed at connecting academia and grassroots communities.