Oi,
Thainá here!
I'm an activist and young leader from São Paulo,
Brazil. I believe voices have power, and what I value
most in life is being able to express my truth. Creating
from scratch, writing other peoples' stories, leading,
facilitating, and connection with communities brings
me inner peace.
This is who I am, a person known for having a "go get it
energy" and smiling throughout life.
My journey
I am one of the few women who survived domestic violence and have a platform to tell their stories. As a result, I am a passionate advocate about women’s rights and children’s rights.
With a strong love for education, I did not let my family’s income or
vulnerability status hold me back, and at nine years old I taught myself
English by watching YouTube videos.
After leaving domestic violence and losing my father, a professor who
saw my efforts helped me get a scholarship in the best private high
school in my city.
At 15-16 I was the youngest sales mentor at Fundação Estudar and
coordinated with a team of 10 students the biggest opportunity
platform in Brazil.
It was in those early teenage years that I explored social change, being a participant in the Latin American Leadership Academy and gathering as many mentors as I could.
Thainá (Thai) is a 21 year old activist from Brazil. She is the founder of Sem
Medo, a sex education organization. Thai uses her skills in policy making,
initiative development, community building and creativity to engage in
positive change — having reached over 130,000 people all around the globe.
Thai is an undergraduate student at Grinnell College double majoring in
Political Science and Sociology with a concentration in Latin American
Studies. She has been recognized as one of the young leaders of the WOW
Foundation, as a Diverse Voice by The New York Times and as a next
generation foresight practitioner by the Young Voices Award. Additionally,
Thai was on the first ever cohort for the Take Action Lab (by Global Citizen
Year) program in Capetown, South Africa, working in two townships, Retreat
and Gugulethu.
Whenever she is not in her favorite study spot, she spends her time
volunteering at organizations such as the Brazilian Student Association,
Grinnell’s Disability Cultural Association and mentoring girls all around
Brazil. In the past, she has worked in organizations such as Força Meninas, a
company working to advance girls aged 6 to 21 years old in Brazil.
When it comes to public speaking, Thai is not afraid of making a pitch,
having won funding by MIT SolvED and the Civics 2030 Agenda. She has
also given talks to organizations such as Singularity University, Teach The
Future, BRASA Pré, and others.
My future
- After college, my next dream is to be a Rhodes
Scholar and have a masters in Latin American
Studies. - When it comes to my career, I see myself in two
directions:- Running for congress and later for senate to
continue to advocate for women's and people
with disabilities’ rights. It would be an honor
to be the first autistic senator in Brazil’s
history. - As a journalist. I’ve loved the role of foreign
correspondents ever since I met Professor
Judith Matloff from Columbia University in
high school.
- Running for congress and later for senate to
Disability Resources
DISABILITY CULTURAL CENTER
AMBASSADOR
WE Gender Lab
GENDER CONSULTANT
S&B
STAFF WRITER
Some of my experiences include:
Student Government
SEPC COORDINATOR
Founder and director
Summer experiences
Foreign affairs
International programs
Brazilian activism
third-sector including engajamundo and fundação estudar
I have been lucky enough to involve myself with +20 organizations in the past 5 years. Here are some of the places where I left a piece of me!
In 2023, I developed a telegram
chatbot that helps youth and their
parents understand the basics of
sex education.
Recent projects
As a final project for my Gender, Women’s and Sexuality course I expanded on one of the chapters and updated it to the 2023 context.
In 2023, on behalf of Força Meninas, I organized a mentorship with the online platform Hotmart. There were more than 20 projects led by girls up to 21 years old, connected with expert volunteers. Totaling more than 60 hours of knowledge.
In Grinnell’s Student Government, I have been working in the Academics department. My main projects have included so far the Student Educational Policy Committees and working on campus traditions.
What I Can Do for You
Community Building
For the past 4 years I have created connections, bridged divides, and cultivated a sense of belonging among diverse groups.
Writing, Talks, Storytelling
I love to captivate narratives, shed light on untold stories, and inspire with them.
Initiative Development
Having participated in so many organizations since the age of 14, I have developed the ability to create programs and projects with ease.
Latest publications
Read my weekly articles on the s&b!
Hear about my routine on malala's magazine!
hear about one of my latest works in brazil!
See all the wonderful 2023 young leaders!
Testimonials
Sara Surani,
Mentor
You are so confident in yourself in a way that makes me feel so fuzzy and proud of you. I can't help but think "wow, I wish I had a mentor like Thainá when I was 17 years old!" You really are special and loving in a way that makes others more empowered to be themselves. You are a fighter, a warrior, una guerrera.
Erika Frike,
Past-Supervisor
Sharing the professional day-to-day with Thaina is great, because she thinks outside the box, she is super smart, kind, attentive and helpful. I believe that being helpful is her main value, it's something she does spontaneously. Thank you for adding to my journey, Thai!
Aline Brito,
Close Friend
I know her since 2019. I know her heart, her aspirations, and her motivations. Knowing this much about her, I can tell you that she will be a role model for others, just like she is for me. She represents how far this generation can go to change the world, and she will be an essential name for the future.
