“How to Feminize your city?” - 2nd TransNational Encounter

“How to Feminize your city?” - 2nd TransNational Encounter
TransFemina: Intersectional Landscapes

19 & 20 March 2025

Porto, Portugal

On the 19th and 20th of March, TransFemina will host its second TransNational Encounter in Porto, Portugal, with talks and workshops, installations, performances and exploratory walks through the city. With an international program, the encounter aims to be a space for sharing and discussion of inspiring projects, experiences and ideas.

“How much space, physical and symbolic, do women occupy in cities?” This question was the starting point for the thinking behind TransFemina: Intersectional Landscapes, a two-year project co-financed by the Creative Europe program and DGArtes, which critically and creatively delves into the invisibility of feminist narratives and inequalities in public spaces in Porto, Barcelona and Modena.

The foundation for TransFemina's creation is anchored in the Local Laboratories that take place in the 3 cities and involve more than 80 participants. This process will result in performative actions in public spaces, immersive sound walks and a fanzine, which proposes other and new ways of (re)imagining, occupying, appropriating and resignifying cities.

TransFemina is an organization between feminist collectives: PELE (Porto, Portugal), Collettivo Amigdala (Modena, Italy) and Col·lectiu Punt 6 (Barcelona, ​Spain).

The TransNational Meeting of Porto has the support of the Institute of Sociology of the University of Porto, the Parish Council of Bonfim and the Pedreira collective.

The entry in the Encounter is free and subject to mandatory registration through the form available.

PROGRAMME

19th March

18:00 - 18:30 - Station Square, Campanhã

TransFemina: Local Laboratory Porto - Collective Action [Performance]

19:30 - 20:30 - Pedreira

"From where a name becomes memory", Paula Espinoza [Video Instalation]

Graffiti, stencils, people and insects appear and disappear on a bridge in Cuenca, a city in southern Ecuador. As we observe the daily life of this space, a voice reflects on the transformations of the place. An official story contrasts with another that reveals the gender-based violence that has persisted over the years.

Paola Espinoza holds a Master’s degree in Documentary Filmmaking. Her notable works include directing the documentary short films De donde el nombre se vuelve recuerdo (2024) and Por la noche (2018), as well as the fiction short film La noche del escamol (2019). Espinoza has worked as an assistant director on fiction projects such as Adivinación (2024), Eso es algo más (2023), El viaje de papá (2021), and Kisha kisha (2018), among others. She also contributed as a project assistant at the audiovisual production company KINOSUR. Currently, Espinoza is involved in the distribution of the documentary diptych TOROBORO by Manolo Sarmiento.

"Si las paredes hablasen", Paula Sitka [Media Installation]

This project was born from a conversation with my friend Almu Lasacre about what it means to go to the hairdresser for Afro-descendant women. Beyond aesthetic care, these spaces are havens of identity and resistance, where clients find community and representation in a world that rarely acknowledges them. For many, visiting an Afro hairdresser is not just a routine, but a ritual of belonging. As Patricia Hill Collins (2000) points out, these places not only transform appearance but also create networks of solidarity and support. In them, stories intertwine, experiences are shared and white normativity is left at the door. In Madrid, most of these salons are concentrated in Lavapiés, a neighbourhood whose migrant identity is at risk in the face of gentrification. As Leslie Kern (2020) warns, neoliberal urbanism displaces racialized communities, putting their meeting spaces at risk. Afro-beauty salons are private but also public spaces of resistance, facing a gentrified urbanism.

“Vozes Silenciadas: Ser Mulher e Envelhecer no Centro Turístico de Lisboa”, Sara Larrabure, Ana Estevens, Fabiana Pavel e Adélia Veronica Silva [Video Intallation] (To be confirmed)
 

In this documentary, we hear stories from elderly women living in the historic centre of Lisbon. They share their experiences in a city transformed by tourism. This transformation weakens community ties, restricts mobility, and limits access to public spaces and essential services, causing a feeling of isolation that compromises autonomy, health and well-being. The film amplifies the voices of these women, who are often invisible, highlighting the complexity of their experiences.

Sara Larrabure, Ana Estevens, Fabiana Pavel and Adélia Veronica Silva are four women activists, with degrees in architecture, urban planning and geography, but, above all, committed to the causes of housing, migration and the right to the city. They work in academia, in associations and in individual projects, always with a focus on marginalized groups. They work with cooperative research and knowledge methods, seeking inclusive and collaborative practices. They represent different nationalities – Portuguese, Brazilian and Italian – which enriches their interdisciplinary and intercultural perspective, strengthening their practice and commitment to social transformation.

20th March - Bonfim Parish Council

8:45 - 9:15
Welcome and participant check-in

9:15 - 9:30
Opening remarks and creative activation

9:30 - 10:40 - Bonfim Parish Council

"Poetic and Political Cartographies, the Look of TransFemina on the Cities” [talk]

Vanessa Marcos [moderator], Maria João Mota - PELE, Sara Ortíz Escalante -Col·lectiu Punt 6, Federica Rocchi - Collettivo Amigdala

PELE is a collective that develops artistic creation projects as spaces for reflection, action and civic and political participation, fostering processes of individual and collective transformation.

Since 2007, it has sought to keep its work aligned with the urgencies of territories and communities, focusing on accessibility and artistic participation in multiple centralities. By crossing audiences, sectors, artistic languages, territories and partners, it creates horizontal decision-making spaces and alternative models of collective creation.

Col·lectiu Punt 6 is a non-profit cooperative of urban planning and architecture with over 17 years of local, national and international experience. They work from an intersectional feminist perspective through community participation and action. They’re committed to rethinking domestic, community and public spaces from a feminist perspective, with more than 400 projects carried out in different spheres. Col·lectiu Punt 6 develops their own methodologies (quantitative, qualitative and participatory) which are adapted to the context and the people they work with. They also work on research, teaching and training for both public administration and non-profit organisations. 

The work of Amigdala activates different levels: original artistic creations, public history and anthropology, active citizenship education, urban crossings and landscape. The collective makes multidisciplinary art productions, with a definite vocation for site-specific and community-specific creation methodologies. Amigdala's productions take the form of performances, public art projects, installations, soundscapes and always have a strong connection to the place that hosts them. These works are presented in Italy and abroad in festivals, reviews and cultural initiatives. The Periferico festival is one of their main projects and it's dedicated to the connections between performing arts, local communities and the urban fabric.

Note: This talk will have interventions in PT, EN and ES. There will be the possibility of simultaneous translation.

11:00 - 13:00

"Intersectionalities in the Public Space” [talk]

Lígia Ferro [moderator] - ISUP, Sara Serôdio -West Girls, Andréa Freire - Colombina Clandestina [to be confirmed], João Teixeira Lopes - FLUP, Paula Sikta - Si las paredes hablasen, Atija Assane - Caminhadas das Mulheres Negras, Sara Larrabure - Envelhecer na Cidade Turística: Autonomia e Saúde de Mulheres Idosas em Lisboa

Sara Serôdio is the first woman in Portugal to pursue the dream of becoming a professional parkour athlete. She started practising at a gym in 2019 at a time when there was only one other woman practising parkour for leisure. She quickly began to take the practice seriously, which led her on a path of self-discovery. She became a parkour instructor at Academia Eu+ Braga in 2021 for 2 years. She later graduated from the National Institute of Circus Arts in 2023 in pursuit of becoming a more complete athlete - starting in show business. He works as an artist for circus companies, as an athlete for brands and as an action stuntman for television. At the same time, she created the West Girls project intending to organize parkour meetings exclusively for women - to create a more inclusive and diverse community in Portugal. In a male-dominated sport, the goal was to give more women the opportunity to experience this movement practice that has so much to teach about the body and the mind.

João Teixeira Lopes graduated in Sociology from the Faculty of Arts of the University of Porto (1992) Master in Social Sciences from the Institute of Social Sciences of the University of Lisbon (1995) PhD in Sociology of Culture and Education (1999). Full member of the Observatory of Cultural Activities between 1996 and 1998. He was part of the coordinating team of the Report on National Cultural Policies (1985-95) presented in 1998 to the Council of Europe. Programmer for Porto European Capital of Culture 2001, responsible for the area of ​​population involvement and member of the initial team that drafted the candidacy project presented to the Council of Europe. He represented the Left Bloc as a deputy in the Assembly of the Republic (2002-2006). Scientific Coordinator of the Institute of Sociology at FLUP between 2002 and February 2010. Director of the Journal Sociologia between 2009 and February 2013. He has published 43 books (alone or in co-authorship) in the fields of sociology of culture, social inequalities, city, youth and education, as well as museology and territorial studies. Honoured on May 29, 2014, with the "Chevalier des Palmes Académiques" award by the French Government. He was President of the Portuguese Sociology Association between July 2016 and March 2021. He was President of the Sociology Department at FLUP between 2011 and February 2019. Since May 2020, he has coordinated the Institute of Sociology at the University of Porto.

Paula Sikta is an art historian, curator and cultural manager raised in Madrid, Spain. With a master's degree in Contemporary Art and Visual Culture (UCM, UAM and MNCARS), her work investigates the intersections between memory, identity and representation.

He worked as an assistant curator in the photography collections at the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid, exploring visual narratives that question traditional power structures. Thus, he collaborated with independent spaces, where photography is approached from a contemporary perspective, leaving classical approaches to explore themes such as memory and identity. Currently, her research focuses on time as a tool of resistance to rethinking collective memory and personal narratives. Explore human and non-human temporalities to build emancipatory discourses beyond traditional linear structures.

“Caminhada de Mulheres e Pessoas não binárias negras” is an informal group created in 2021 for women and black non-binary people in Portugal who enjoy hiking (or would like to try it), to connect with the city, the outdoors and nature. People in the group come from diverse backgrounds and different parts of the world and are encouraged to share and connect through their intersections, regardless of the differences they carry or the languages ​​they speak.

Atija Assane is a black woman, immigrant, mother, artist and cultural mediator. Has experience working with vulnerable communities. She volunteers with the Women's Walk and Black Non-Binary People; is a member and volunteer at the  Associação Meeru | Abrir o caminho, which aims to combat the social isolation of migrant, refugee and asylum-seeking families; and is part of the theatre group Uma Pausa Teatral, which works with the methodology of Theater of the Oppressed.

Aging in the Tourist City: Autonomy and Health of Elderly Women in Lisbon is a study under a feminist epistemology, that investigates the experiences of elderly women living in the centre of Lisbon in the face of urban transformations caused by touristification. Based on in-depth interviews, it analyses the challenges that impact their autonomy and well-being, including barriers to mobility and access to services. The results reinforce the need for public policies that consider gender and age to ensure inclusion and quality of life.

Sara Larrabure is a Brazilian Architect and Urban Planner, with a master's degree from USP-Brazil and a PhD candidate in Human Geography at ULisboa, with a scholarship from FCT. From an intersectional feminist perspective, her research investigates how touristification affects the lives of women living in central Lisbon. His work seeks to contribute to the construction of more inclusive and equitable urban spaces. His research interests include the right to the city, urban planning and socio-spatial inequalities.

Note:This talk will have interventions in PT and ES. There will be the possibility of simultaneous translation. 

14:30 - 16:30

"Mijavelhas às Fontainhas: Reproductive Work and Common Territory", Clara Sefair [Workshop]

Between the ruins of the Arca D’água de Mijavelhas and the Lavadouro das Fontainhas, in the parish of Bonfim, we visit public spaces marked by the presence of the female working class in the 19th and 20th centuries. In the urban palimpsest, the stories of women who are washerwomen, carquejeiras, market vendors, farmers and caretakers overlap. In an intertwining of bodies, times and territories, cartographies expand to tell the story of our insurgencies, resistances and stories with water as a common thing.

Clara Sefair, architect, urban planner, and researcher. Student of the Master's Degree in Art and Design for Public Space - FBAUP, where he researches urban commons and practices of care for the territory. In an academic and professional path that intersects technical advice, cultural heritage and collaborative processes, the territory - urban or rural - is understood as a place for the construction of the common, a power for teaching-learning processes from a citizen perspective in a fruition with memory, natural assets, different ways of living.

Note: To participate in this workshop, please register here.

14:30 - 17:30

"FEMonumental Transformance", Conni Holzer [Workshop]

Monuments are representations of social structures and hierarchies, mostly unnoticed in our everyday activities, but subconsciously influencing our perceptions. In this workshop, we explore a monument in a public space and test it for patriarchal structures. The found patriarchal messages are transformed into FEMonumental (feminist monumental) practices, experimenting with improvised performance, writing and overpainting of photographs. This transition process to unlearn patriarchy is based on the artistic research project “FEMonumental Transformance” by Conni Holzer.

Conni Holzer (1988) is a transmedia performance artist, art therapist and artistic researcher from Austria. She studied Cultural and Social Anthropology at the University of Vienna (AT), Art Therapy at the Academy for Art Therapy Vienna (AT), and completed the MA Performing Public Space at Fontys University of Applied Sciences in Tilburg (NL). In her work, Conni addresses dominant social norms and structures, starting from individual experience, and expanding from the psychological effects to the social origins. She uses art’s therapeutic and activist potential to explore contradictory paradoxical spaces within our minds, society and public spaces. 

Note: To participate in this workshop, please register here.

Note:This workshop will be held in EN.

14:30 - 16:30 - Alameda das Fontainhas

“Quebrando as Barreiras com Parkour", Sara Serôdio [Workshop]

In this workshop, we will explore how we can regain awareness and confidence in our abilities (both physical and mental) in a world that has lost touch with its natural essence.

The practice of parkour focuses on overcoming obstacles and challenges, which offers a perfect metaphor for the fight for gender equality and female empowerment.

During the session, practitioners will learn the basic principles of parkour; explore creative and alternative approaches to overcome difficulties/obstacles and face their fears and limitations in a controlled environment.

Through parkour, we can reflect on the physical and social barriers that we have to face in our daily lives and how we can deal with them collectively or individually.

Sara Serôdio is the first woman in Portugal to pursue the dream of becoming a professional parkour athlete. She started practising at a gym in 2019 at a time when there was only one other woman practising parkour for leisure. She quickly began to take the practice seriously, which led her on a path of self-discovery. She became a parkour instructor at Academia Eu+ Braga in 2021 for 2 years. She later graduated from the National Institute of Circus Arts in 2023 in pursuit of becoming a more complete athlete - starting in show business. He works as an artist for circus companies, as an athlete for brands and as an action stuntman for television. At the same time, she created the West Girls project intending to organize parkour meetings exclusively for women - to create a more inclusive and diverse community in Portugal. In a male-dominated sport, the goal was to give more women the opportunity to experience this movement practice that has so much to teach about the body and the mind.

Note: To participate in this workshop, please register here.

19:30 - 21:30 - Bonfim Parish Council

"Escrevivências | if this stress was mine…", Jaqueline Rezende [Workshop]

This is a meeting dedicated to women, especially black women, to share experiences, read black authors, and poetry and encourage writing as resistance and belonging. You don't need to be a reader or writer to participate. The event brings inspiration from Conceição Evaristo (the term itself “escrevivências”), Carolina Maria de Jesus and others, promoting reflection, listening and expression. More than an exchange, it is a space of concern about identity and paths taken.

Jacqueline Rezende is a black woman, immigrant and activist. Graduated in Administration and Social Sciences, master's degree in Social Education and Community Intervention. From an early age, she was involved in popular causes, informal education and community projects. As a trainer, she noticed the low female representation, especially black women, in the spaces she occupied. Today, as a consultant and volunteer, she is dedicated to the inclusion and empowerment of black bodies, ensuring that they occupy spaces of art, leisure, power and well-being anywhere in the world and on the paths they travel.

Note: To participate in this workshop, please register here.