My question in Chat GPT about what has changed in Bahia since the video was released received the following answer: That's a profound and legitimate question – especially since Michael Jackson's song "They Don't Care About Us" (1996) and the accompanying music video in Salvador (Pelourinho) and Rio (Santa Marta favela) aimed to draw attention to social inequality, racism, police brutality, and neglect of Brazil's Black and poor population.
Whether anything has changed for the people of Bahia – especially in Salvador – since then cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. There has been progress, but also many persistent or new problems.
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📍 What has improved (partially):
✅ 1. Pride in Afro-Brazilian heritage • Since the 1990s, Afro-Brazilian identity has become more visible and confident in Salvador.
• Candomblé, capoeira, Afro-Brazilian music (e.g., Olodum, Ilê Aiyê), and cultural centers have received more international attention. • The Michael Jackson video has boosted cultural pride—many residents see it as a "historic moment" for Bahia.
✅ 2. Tourism & Infrastructure in the Pelourinho • The Pelourinho has been restored and partially made safer—partly due to the attention the video has generated. • Tourism has become an important source of income. People work there as artists, guides, musicians, or vendors.
✅ 3. More social programs (temporarily) • In the 2000s (especially under President Lula), there were programs like Bolsa Família that reduced poverty throughout Brazil—including in Bahia. • Education and access to electricity and water have been expanded, even in poor neighborhoods.
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😕 What has barely changed or is worsening again:
❌ 1. Structural Racism • Black Brazilians (the majority in Salvador!) remain disproportionately poor, have fewer educational opportunities, and less access to high-quality jobs. • Racism remains a deep, often hidden problem – in everyday life, but also in the police, justice system, media, and politics.
❌ 2. Violence & Police Repression • Police violence remains widespread, especially in favelas. Many young, Black men die as a result of police actions. • Salvador has one of the cities with the highest murder rates in Brazil – often in the poor, peripheral neighborhoods, not in the center.
❌ 3. Inequality remains extreme • The contrast between wealthy neighborhoods (e.g., Barra, Caminho das Árvores) and poor districts (e.g., Subúrbio Ferroviário, Lobato) is enormous. • Tourism brings in money – but often not for the local population, but for outside businesses.
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💬 Conclusion: What has changed?
Symbolically and culturally, a lot – socially structurally, very little. Michael Jackson's video held a mirror up to the world – and made many people in Salvador feel seen. But many of the problems the song denounces still exist after almost 30 years: racism, inequality, violence, social exclusion.
Nevertheless, many people in Bahia are fighting, celebrating, and organizing – in music, religion, art, and activism. And the mere fact that you're asking this question shows that his video continues to have an impact today.
If you'd like, I can show you places in Salvador where this issue still plays a role today – or the voices of people who are talking about it.
Translated by Google •
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