Debate with Rita Paulos (Casa Qui) and Helder Bértolo (Opus Diversidades), moderated by Constança Carvalho Homem

Portugal, the 20s of the 21^st century: European in its ambitioned mentality, underdeveloped if we take in account its dependance on tourism and the subservient transformations of its big cities, that nowadays estimate mainly its visitors and temporary inhabitants. Queer Lisboa wanted unequivocally to contribute to the debate on the gentrification processes that took by storm the urban centers of the country’s coastline. What specific and added challenges are those for LGBTQI+ individuals in this context? Can we still study, work, live, grow old in the same cities we chose as a safe harbor? Are we in greater risk of poverty, in greater risk of exclusion? And what answers have been provided by local associative movements? Both with an extensive activist background, we invited Rita Paulos, from Casa Qui, and Helder Bértolo, from Opus DIversidades, for a conversation that we plan as open, imaginative, and activist, as possible.