There is ample evidence to suggest that comedy is a powerful and untapped storytelling genre to raise awareness, change attitudes, and incite action to advance human rights and social justice–particularly in young people. Comedy opens doors to complex issues, persuades us emotionally, encourages us to share, and breaks down social barriers. Yet, comedy continues to be an under-explored tactic for engaging audiences in pressing political and social justice issues; and most comedy projects are hardly ever assessed and evaluated from a social change perspective that transcends metrics of reach and traffic.

Join the Open Society Latin America Program and the Office of Communications in a conversation with Brazilian activist Alessandra Orofino and Gregorio Duvivier, one of Brazil’s most famous comedians, to explore the way in which comedy and humor can contribute to political and social change.