As part of Global Voices’ fundraising challenge campaign called “Behind the Story,” we will feature 30 contributors in 30 days. In this series, we ask each contributor about a particular story they have written and why working on it mattered to them. These reflections from these contributors remind us why it is important to ensure that the Global Voices Newsroom is sustainable.

In this insight, Luís Gustavo Carmo from Brazil shares thoughts on why working on the story “The origins of Brazil’s national jersey and its changing symbolism 70 years later” was especially meaningful.

The idea came from my editor, Fernanda Canofre. I was in my second year of college, and with her support, I had the honor of writing this story. I was glad to see it later translated into several languages, reflecting the diverse voices we aim to highlight at Global Voices!

I’ve never been particularly into sports, but this ended up being one of the most meaningful stories I’ve ever worked on. The interview with Aldyr Schlee’s son took place virtually, yet it felt incredibly personal. He even went to his father’s old house to make our conversation feel warmer and more genuine!

We talked about his father’s life and about what he, a staunch defender of democracy, might have thought of seeing his creation turned into a symbol co-opted by the far right between 2015 and 2022.

Two years after the story was published, I feel relieved to see that the national symbol has been reclaimed. Today, as Brazil’s jersey travels the world, it carries new meaning — because every inch of that yellow fabric has been contested. For a while, many of us here stopped wearing it, afraid of being mistaken for something we’re not. We let it rest, quietly, as if mourning what it had become. But little by little, we brought it back to life. Now, we’re using it again: “just out of nostalgia, but with defiance and pride.”

Global Voices is a platform that provides a space for our community to share stories and perspectives about their community and issues they care about through the accompaniment of a supportive editorial team that assists each contributor to craft their stories.

If you have gained new insights about different parts of the world by reading Global Voices stories from our contributors, please consider donating to keep these stories readily available. Your contribution will support Global Voices’ Newsroom through the end of the year.