Public Invisibility: Fernando Braga at TEDxBeloHorizonte

Like many of us, Fernando da Costa Braga felt uneasy with the way certain types of workers are ignored by society. But he didn't just let it be. Instead, he spent 8 years sweeping the streets of São Paulo to understand what he calls "Public Invisibility". Once a week, Fernando Braga da Costa puts on a uniform and sweeps the streets. He carries manure, cleans ditches, works in the rain, and toils under the sun. On account of this, he has developed tendinitis. His routine began 10 years ago, as an assignment for a psychology class he attended at the University of Sao Paulo, which suggested that students work for a day in a lower class profession. This was the starting point for his thesis on "public invisibility", which means that professionals like janitors, elevator operators, and packers aren't "seen" by society; they are perceived as jobs, not people. The thesis became a book: "Invisible Men: Testimonies of Social Humiliation".

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