Sunday Pick: Barcelona: streetwear with a political twist | Far Flung

The TED Talks Daily podcast presents an episode of "Far Flung" featuring Salim Reshamwala, who explores the story of Barcelona's "manteros," or street vendors, who are primarily undocumented immigrants from West Africa. Facing legal barriers to employment, these vendors formed a union and launched a streetwear brand called Top Manta, turning the derogatory term used against them into a symbol of empowerment. The podcast details their struggles with police, their efforts to gain legal status through the brand, and their community support initiatives, including producing PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic. It further explores the brand's growth, its challenges with social acceptance, and its impact on providing role models for young black people in Spain, highlighting themes of belonging, identity, and resistance against systemic oppression.