At FUNKY BROWN CHICK, Inc., we’re shutting down and stepping away from our work on Tuesday, March 4th, 2025.
Why?
Our owner works in both the United States and Portugal. We celebrate, honor, and close our doors on all holidays in both countries! So, we’re joining millions across Portugal in celebrating Carnival—an explosion of creativity, community, and (perhaps surprisingly) social commentary. This holiday transforms streets into galleries of artistic expression. Colorful costumes and elaborate floats tell stories of both cultural heritage and contemporary critique.
We understand that moments of collective celebration and creative resistance deserve space in our lives and work. By honoring this tradition, we reaffirm that liberation work requires not just strategic analysis and technological tools, but also joy, community connection, and artistic imagination—elements that fuel sustainable movements for justice.
So that’s why we don’t view this closure simply as a day off. Rather, it represents our commitment to honoring traditions that align with our mission to create a more just, loving world free from oppression. As a Black woman-owned firm with roots in reproductive justice and branches extending into various social impact areas, we recognize how communities have long used creative expression to challenge power structures and imagine new possibilities.
From “Carnevale” to Carnival: A Journey Through Time and Culture
Carnival’s rich history stretches back to medieval Italy, where Catholics embraced a lively festival tradition before the solemn act of Lent. The name itself—”carnevale”—literally means “to put away the meat,” referencing the upcoming period of fasting. This high-spirited celebration crossed borders as well! It was woven into the cultures of France, Spain, and ultimately Portugal, where it evolved into the distinctly Portuguese “Entrudo.”
March 4th marks the peak of 2025’s festivities. Many Portuguese businesses and schools pause their regular operations for Carnival Tuesday. While legally a discretionary holiday, the cultural significance runs deep enough that many organizations (like ours) recognize its importance by closing their doors.
Regional Flavors of Celebration
Each Portuguese region adds unique pieces to this celebration. For example, the city of Ovar hosts elaborate samba-inspired parades that date back to 1952. UNESCO-recognized Podence features distinctive “Caretos.” Caretos are masked performers in vibrant, fringed costumes who playfully disrupt the social order. Torres Vedras prides itself on hosting the “most Portuguese” Carnival, with century-old traditions of political satire. Coastal Sesimbra and sun-soaked Loulé in the Algarve contribute their own regional flavors to the national celebration.
Despite regional differences, certain elements unite these festivities. Streets transform into performance spaces where dancers in spectacular costumes move to fun, pulsing rhythms. And meticulously crafted floats serve as mobile art galleries. Truth be told, these aren’t just parties. They’re platforms for creative expression with something meaningful to say. They are opportunities to use the arts for social change!
Art as Resistance: When Floats Speak Truth to Power
Beyond the sequins and samba beats is Carnival’s unapologetic tradition of political commentary. The festivities serve as Portugal’s annual visual editorial. It’s where craftspeople transform papier-mâché and fabric into pointed critique that might otherwise face censorship in more formal contexts. This artistic activism particularly shines in Torres Vedras, where satire has become the celebration’s signature.
The 2018 Carnival boldly captured global attention (even in the UK!) when artisans depicted Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, and Kim Jong Un as menacing sharks wielding dining utensils—ready to devour the world. Something that still resonates with many people in Portugal and the United States today.
Another float featured Trump perched atop a toilet shaped like Earth with an irate Kim Jong Un clutching a rocket behind him. No powerful figure remains immune—even Angela Merkel found herself reimagined as a mermaid in the carnival’s ocean-themed tableau that year.
Humor as a Revolutionary Tool
“We have a great variety of originality,” explained Cesar Costa, one of Torres Vedras’ organizers. “This is a carnival about political and social satire.” These thoughts reflect how humor and creativity democratize political conversations. Carnival invites everyone—regardless of education or status—to engage with complex social issues.
This phenomenon extends far beyond Portugal’s borders. From protest art during social movements to satirical performances in theatrical productions, creative expression is a powerful vehicle for challenging established power structures. It transcends language barriers. It even, very often, escapes censorship through metaphor and symbolism. Artistic expression often reaches audiences who might otherwise tune out traditional political messaging.
And, importantly, celebrations like Carnival transform passive observers into active participants in cultural conversation. They create communal experiences that build solidarity while questioning authority—all while appearing to simply celebrate.
Where Our Mission Meets the Masquerade
At FUNKY BROWN CHICK, we admire Carnival’s fusion of joy and resistance. And so we embrace it as a living embodiment of our core values. Our decision to close shop during this celebration represents our deliberate commitment to honoring cultural traditions that challenge oppressive systems through creative expression.
This commitment directly connects to our “Art for Social Change” impact area, where we recognize how artistic and cultural expressions drive meaningful community transformation. Every day, we help nonprofits and social justice organizations create compelling narratives that shift public perception and inspire action. Whether developing multimedia content that humanizes complex issues or facilitating storytelling workshops that amplify marginalized voices, we witness firsthand how creativity generates change.
Reimagine Your Impact Through Creative Expression
How might your organization harness the transformative power of art and creativity to advance your mission? Consider the issues central to your work—could a visual campaign, performance piece, or innovative storytelling approach help your audience connect with complex topics on a deeper level?
At FUNKY BROWN CHICK, our narrative change and storytelling services help partners cut through digital noise with compelling content that resonates. We’ve witnessed how creative approaches ignite engagement when traditional messaging falls flat. Whether you’re looking to diversify your fundraising strategy, strengthen voter engagement, or simply communicate your mission more effectively, our team stands ready to collaborate on innovative solutions that amplify your impact.We’ll resume our regular operations on Wednesday, March 5th, energized by Carnival’s creative spirit and ready to apply those insights to your unique challenges. Until then, we invite you to explore how a touch of artistic rebellion might just revolutionize your approach to creating the more just world we all envision.
