Virtual Summit Submission

Florida State University
Political Science

Biography

Aiden Leslie is a senior majoring in Political Science with a minor in International Affairs and pursuing a U.S. Intelligence Certificate focused on human rights, law, and documentary storytelling. His work explores the experiences of communities often overlooked in policy and media, combining research with creative storytelling. Through the Center for the Advancement of Human Rights and the Tyler Center for International Studies, Aiden has investigated how structural inequality and corporate practices affect vulnerable workers. For Lane Splitting, he conducted fieldwork in Brazil, interviewing motorcycle couriers to document their daily lives, challenges, and resilience. After graduation, Aiden plans to travel the world sharing similar stories before attending law school to practice human rights law and continue using storytelling as a tool for advocacy.

Project

Lane Splitting: The Motoboys of São Paulo
In São Paulo, Brazil, more than 200,000 motoboys—motorcycle couriers—navigate congested streets to deliver food, documents, and countless other goods that keep the city moving. Their work is essential, yet they are stigmatized, underpaid, and exposed to some of the most dangerous traffic conditions in the world. Lane Splitting is an investigative documentary that highlights their daily struggles and resilience. Drawing directly from motoboys’ own testimonies, the film explores their everyday realities and examines how multinational delivery platforms like Uber and iFood profit from this workforce while offering little protection. Through conversations with motoboys, union leaders, and policy experts, the documentary reveals how corporate practices and government neglect intersect to endanger lives. By centering those often overlooked, Lane Splitting challenges audiences to recognize the human cost of modern efficiency and reflect on the inequalities shaping urban life.