This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Thalles de Souza. It has been edited for length and clarity.
In March 2016, on a Sunday morning, police entered my house, shouting and shooting. At only 13, I woke up screaming, not sure of what was happening. When I walked into the kitchen, I was nearly shot. Turns out, the police were looking for a family member of ours.
Shootings were common where I lived in Vila Kennedy, a community in Bangu, in Rio de Janeiro. I witnessed so many deaths — countless deaths.
I lived there with my mom, a single mom, and my three older siblings. My mom had always done what she could to protect us, given…
