In November, the Batekoo Festival came to São Paolo, Brazil to honor the country’s Black queer culture, cultivated in its nightlife. Amid the party collective’s night of dancing at the intersection of Afro-diasporic and LGBTQIAP+ rights, safety, and love, photographer Pedro Pinho captures faces of the festival and movement, Straight-Up!
Maurício Bahia Sacramento, 30
Describe your look. I spent the whole night holding this flag. On one side it says “happiness.” On the other side it says “revenge”, like a poem that says our greatest revenge is seeing our community happy and together. I wear this idea: being happy is our revenge. What should people know about the scene in Brazil? It took a whole year of hard work to get to this moment. At the same time, it took eleven years of BATEKOO opening paths, trying things out, getting things wrong in beautiful ways and creating our own way of existing in the night. From the first parties we made with almost nothing to the packed festival we have today, we learned how to build space, harmony and connection. And even though I’ve been doing this for more than a decade, every BATEKOO feels like a breath, a turning point, a reminder that we are not alone and never were.
Andreia Bispo, 26
Describe your look. My look comes from the energy of the night. This metallic fringe top doesn’t just shine, it owns the room. Every strand feels like a reminder that I take up space with confidence and freedom.
Anna Lumiar, 24
Describe your look. My look is sexy lingerie and a tiny skirt so I can dance, no stress. For the sound, I go straight to Pagodão, it never fails. What brings you to Batekoo? The mix of people, the warmth, the chance to watch real good artists and keep everything afrocentered. It’s pure flavor.
Rafa Balera
Why this outfit? Woke up in the mood to show some skin and serve a lil’ high fashion fantasy at the same time, that’s why the boots came out to play. Any sporty outfit gets an instant glow-up when you throw on some tall boots. It’s like magic for me, the fierceness comes right away. What should people know about the scene in Brazil? To me, everyone should experience partying in Brazil, surrounded by Brazilian people. I’m pretty sure it will be a life-changing experience. You’ll get to see the happiest, sweatiest, most excited, and sexiest crowd. This is what makes us, and our way of partying, so unique. Batekoo is, of course, a place where you can find all of this, but even better, because it’s also a safe space created by and for BIPOC and queer people. Literally heaven on earth, or on the dance floor, if I may.
Pamela Cunha, 20
What brings you to Batekoo? Batekoo is so powerful it turns into pure energy. You don’t just watch it, you feel it. I had been waiting for this one with my friends for a long time because of everything they put into it. Why this outfit? I picked this look because I wanted to go all in, drop it low with no shame and treat the festival like my own stage. I came to deliver, to light it up. And honestly, I did. I killed it without asking permission.
Victor Eduardo, 25
What brings you to Batekoo?Community is what brings me to Batekoo. This time I came to present the festival and it meant a lot to me. It’s more than a party, it’s a movement. One of the happiest days of my life happened at a Batekoo. It’s the space where I feel like myself, free from anything that tries to hold me back. Every time it happens, I know I’ll be with people like me, in a place built for our joy, our stories and our sense of belonging. What should people know about the scene in Brazil? Brazil breathes culture. It’s a hot, vibrant country. I truly believe we have one of the most beautiful cultures in the world. The night proves that. At night you see the core of who we are. You don’t need to hide. You see the best of us and a mix of everything. Shoutout to our subversive culture. There’s nothing like a funk party or a real Black Brazilian night.
Samile, 27
What should people know about the scene in Brazil? Batekoo nights highlight a transforming Brazil, embracing the diversity and cultural richness of the Black community. They celebrate resilience, challenge stigmas, and promote inclusion and representation. Batekoo represents a powerful space of representation and belonging. It’s inspiring to see an event created by and for Black people, where we are celebrated in all our diversity. Why this outfit? I chose this outfit for its perfect blend of comfort and style. It’s fresh and basic, yet has a sexy touch that makes me feel confident and at ease to dance.
Jephte Dany Jeune, 20
What brings you to Batekoo? I go to Batekoo because my body can breathe there. It’s where I let go of the weight of the day and follow the energy around me. The vibe is so strong it feels like the world opens a space for us to exist the way we are. What should people know about the scene in Brazil? What the world needs to know about Batekoo and Brazil is that our nightlife is resistance and creation. People here turn pain into dance, history into style, future into sound. The night isn’t just a party, it’s a living protest.
Suyane Ynaya, 35
Why this outfit? Wherever I go, the word is comfort. I care a lot about how my body feels in my clothes. I don’t want to force anything or limit my movement just to make an outfit look right. The clothes need to adapt to my body, not the
other way around. What brings you to Batekoo? What I love here is seeing something created by Black people for Black people. You find all kinds of folks celebrating themselves and each other. We make this happen. We create something beautiful, and that’s what Batekoo is to me. Magnificent.
Savannah, 26
Describe your look. My look mixes green and white to create a soft and balanced vibe. I used thrifted pieces, accessories, and the key piece is the handmade beaded top from a Brazilian brand called Criativa Independente. It brings ancestral brazlian techniques to the outfit, so it’s not just aesthetic. What brings you to Batekoo? It was my first time at the party showing my art and my work, and Batekoo became the place where that happened. I feel at
home.
Muse Maya, 25
Why this outfit? I chose my look because it’s comfortable, which for me at a festival like Batekoo is essential. I want to walk a lot and dance with no limits. I also love monochrome looks, so this time I went with blue. What brings you to Batekoo? To me, Batekoo is Afro-Brazilian freedom in its purest form. It’s our culture being made by our own hands.
Paolla Cardoso, 26
Describe your look. I chose this look because Batekoo feels like a mix of everything that makes Brazil what it is, so I wanted to bring some of the flag’s colors into it. And my crochet pieces are my art, made by me. I can’t leave them
out. What brings you to Batekoo? For me, Batekoo isn’t just about music. It’s about style, culture and seeing people like me. It’s a place where I can show up as myself and dress how I want without worrying about anything.
Tago, 31
What brings you to Batekoo? I told all my friends: girl, let’s go. I’m from the favela, Cidade de Deus and there are so many Black queer people like me who don’t know Batekoo yet. I always say, girl come with me, this is our home. It
feels like our own carnival.
Eduardo Zeug, 23
What brings you to Batekoo? The sense of togetherness I feel here. I’ve been going since 2022 and I haven’t missed a single edition. It’s amazing to experience the power of Black culture in so many forms. Batekoo gives visibility to racialized artists who still aren’t in the mainstream. As an independent photographer who is part of that group, I feel seen and inspired. What should people know about the scene in Brazil? Each region has its own sound, style and way of living, and Batekoo brings all those voices into one place. It isn’t just a party. It’s a movement that lifts up bodies and stories that were pushed aside for a long time. Our nightlife is fun, but it’s also political. The scene here keeps reinventing itself, and Batekoo is one of the clearest examples of that.
Thayná Camargo, 21
What brings you to Batekoo? It’s the kind of energy that frees my body, my art and my Blackness. Long live Batekoo. Describe your look. My inspo for the look was a Y2K baddie vibe that I love, but through the lens of São Paulo.