Fernanda Diniz Brandão, MSc
Hello! I am very glad to meet all of you! I am a typical “carioca” (a person who is born in Rio de Janeiro), but I am not so far from you all as I definitely consider myself a world citizen. My genuine interest and ease of approach with people that are not part of my own culture and familiar environment was even clearer to me when I started travelling and living in different countries working both as a model and as a journalist (long time ago…).
Very much of who I am and what I do today is connected to the variety of experiences I had the chance to live and to the people I had the chance to know during many years of travelling and living for short periods in countries as diverse as South Africa, England, Spain, Argentina, Ecuador, Germany, Mexico, Australia and United States.
I like people. I admire people. I respect people. I love to interact, to talk, to learn and to discover knew things about people with diverse cultural background, different histories, experiences, passions, talents, tastes and vision. This personal interest and natural drive ended up getting me closer to both Anthropology and Education. I guess the same passion also has something to do with my decision to have two kids and to embrace with all my love and effort the fascinating challenge to educate and to continuously learn with them.
Life and Education adhere at some point inseparably. Biological, anthropological, psychological, sociological - in short, whatever logic we think - it is impossible to conceive our life exempt from the relationship with the other. We educate living and relating: simple but very challenging in its complexity.
Fortunately I had the chance until today to explore this interaction with the other in completely different ways. From writing journalistic reports on ethnic communities in Ecuador and doing Anthropological field work with young models and agents in the backstage of Brazilian fashion world to working in an art education project with small children in the largest “favela” (slum) in Latin America called Rocinha. And since the last 5 years my work in Tamboro Educacional, a startup of Education and New Technologies, also allowed me to dive in even newer facets of this exploration.
Research, think, create, communicate, cooperate, exchange, discuss, solve problems, manage process and people, innovate, hit, make mistakes, learn... All these elements and actions are involved in what I do and can explain in part why I love what I do. Although, above my personal preferences and expertise, I should mention that working with Education gives me a deeper purpose and motivation to wake up early, leave my kids at school and come to work every day. I am talking about the motivation of joining theory with reality, of materializing ideas in very concrete projects that help people to explore their potential, to know more about themselves, about the world and to relate to each other.
It also motivates me to connect to all kind of professionals and build a network of allies that work in favor of this broader conception of education. I feel part of this world team that contributes to increase people's genuine interest and empowerment in their learning process. I do my best to create experiences that make sense for each student and help to reconnect the split between formal education and real life. Formal education, hosted by the school and university institution, is only one facet of this other kind of Education that (con)fuses with life. I believe that the exchange of ideas and the effort to join willpower and knowledge with people all over the globe (in the different fields) is a fruitful path with no return. I find it amazing that each of my present and futures work partners has a unique perspective, knowledge and experience, but we all have a common drive: our shared interest in humanity.
It was a pleasure to tell you all a bit about me! Feel free to drop an email and to contact me. I am happy to expand the global connection and collaboration network! Good luck!