Meet Our New Brazil Lead

Bringing three decades of experience across human rights, racial equity, democracy, and social justice in Brazil and globally, our new Vice President, Head Brazil Programs, Atila Roque, envisions a country that is more generous and welcoming, especially toward its children and young people.

For Atila, getting there requires the broadest possible mobilization and engagement across all sectors of society in a collective effort-one inspired by the resilience and determination of Black, Indigenous and Quilombola communities in Brazil.

"Education is the central dimension in the process of fostering full citizenship-one that is creative and capable of realizing the full potential of individuals, regardless of their social background," he says.

Read our full conversation with Atila below.

Dandara: Throughout your career, you've worked across a range of issues-from violence prevention and human rights to racial equity and social justice. As you step into a role focused on education, what lessons from those experiences do you bring to this work?

Atila: Reflecting on my decades of work on issues central to equality, social justice, and democracy, I believe I have drawn three main lessons:

The first concerns the intersectional nature of each of these major issues facing Brazil. The effort to build social justice and democracy in a country like Brazil, that has been marked by violence and racism, will always require an integrated approach that addresses solutions from a broad perspective, taking into account the various layers of inequities and privileges.

The second highlights the central role of active participation by social actors directly involved in changing inequitable policies. In Brazil, this is not possible without the empowerment and leadership of those that experience these inequities, including youth.

The third lesson is the mobilization and engagement-as broad as possible-of all sectors of society in the collective effort to imagine and dream of a society that overcomes the multiple inequities that have long shaped Brazil and its institutionsEducation is the central dimension in the process of fostering full citizenship-one that is creative and capable of realizing the full potential of individuals, regardless of their social background.

Dandara: You've worked alongside many of the Black, Indigenous, and Quilombola organizations that are partners of Imaginable Futures in Brazil before. What inspires you most about the work of these partners?

Atila: Racism and violence are undeniably reality in Brazil. The profound resilience and determination with which Black, Indigenous and Quilombola communities-through the ongoing struggle of their communities and movements-have resisted the systemic violence and exclusion that have threatened their lives throughout Brazil's history deeply inspire my perspective and fuel my desire for change. Imaginable Futures supports so many of these leaders and it fuels my own desire for change.

Dandara: What do you see as philanthropy's role in supporting the leaders, organizations, and movements that are working toward a more just and democratic future?

Atila: Private philanthropy can play an important role in advancing equality and social justice through strengthening the voice and social leadership of collective actors who represent historically excluded and marginalized sectors. In the case of Brazil, this includes people of African descent, including quilombolas, Indigenous peoples, and women.This also requires rethinking the role philanthropy plays in relation to these communities: not seeing them simply as beneficiaries of resources, but recognizing their knowledge, experience, and leadership, and creating the conditions for them to shape priorities, influence decisions, and lead the changes that affect their own lives and communities.

Dandara: When you imagine Brazil a generation from now, what changes would you hope to see?

Atila: I would like to see a generous and welcoming country, especially toward its children and young people-a country that is aware of and proud of the richness and creativity found in the way of life and cultures of Black and Indigenous peoples, confident in the strength of its religious beliefs and convictions, and in the ability of these historically marginalized populations to be full partners in a national project that embodies all of Brazil's power and richness.

Dandara: Finally, what has been inspiring your imagination lately-a book, a work of art, a conversation, a piece of music, or an experience??

Atila: Over the past few years, I have become very familiar with the daily life and cultural experience of the "samba schools"-cultural associations that organize the Carnival parades in Rio de Janeiro. In the process, I've come to understand something I hadn't previously grasped with such intensity-especially once I began to witness firsthand the samba schools' relentless work to strengthen their communities.

In addition to their intensive efforts to promote local economies and creative initiatives in working-class neighborhoods, samba schools serve as powerful tools for popular education. It has been wonderful to see, for example, how the cultures and histories of Afro-descendant and Indigenous communities have gained visibility and a leading role in the themes and stories told by the samba schools during Carnival. I believe we have a great deal to learn from the experiences of the samba schools.