My Girl Up story began when I was fifteen, watching a video by a Girl Up leader, Bruna Guedes, about the difference she was making in her community. Growing up in Angola, I saw the daily realities of instability and
inequality for girls. Bruna’s story opened my eyes to something I had never truly believed before: that
leadership isn’t about where you come from, but about the courage to act. That realization changed
everything for me.
When I first joined Girl Up, I became a virtual member of Girl Up Malfatti in Brazil, since there were no
clubs in Angola at the time. But that soon inspired me to start one of my own. I founded Nzinga Girl
Up, the very first club in Angola, and I still have the honor of leading it today. Creating a space where
girls in my community could connect, learn, and lead together has been one of the most meaningful
experiences of my life. Later, I served as a Teen Advisor in the 2022–23 class, where I had the chance
to represent my peers, amplify our voices on a global scale, and even moderate a panel on
Cyberbullying and Security at the 2023 Leadership Summit.
True leadership is about helping others rise with you.
There are a few moments that will stay with me forever. The first was when the bill for menstrual
dignity was finally approved in Brazil. After years of setbacks and determination, that victory
reminded me that persistence and unity can truly change lives. The second was when Nzinga Girl Up
became officially registered, turning a dream into a movement. And finally, meeting other Teen
Advisors in Washington, D.C., after a year of working together online, felt like finding family. Each
of those moments helped shape me into the advocate and young woman I am today.
Girl Up has guided my sense of purpose and direction. It taught me that my voice matters, even if I
am the only Angolan in the room. It showed me that advocacy isn’t only about awareness, but about
building futures. That lesson inspires my goal to study law and one day serve as a politician in
Angola, helping shape policies that open doors for girls, especially in education, where so many are
still left behind.
One of the projects closest to my heart is the Opportunity Project, where I mentor Angolan students
through educational programs and applications. So far, I’ve reached nearly one hundred students,
many of whom had never imagined studying abroad. Guiding them through each step, watching them
grow in confidence, reminds me why I believe so deeply in access and mentorship. It’s about showing
them that they belong in global spaces of knowledge and leadership.
Before Girl Up, I thought leadership had to be formal and distant, like a CEO who never knows her
team. Now I see it as something circular, built on connection, kindness, and empathy. True leadership
is about helping others rise with you. Growing up where opportunities for girls were scarce, I have
seen too much lost potential. That awareness drives me to act, because every open door, every shared
resource, can change a life.
To me, feminist values begin with kindness. Whether mentoring a student, volunteering to fight
educational inequality, or helping Nzinga Girl Up feed 200 people last month, I’ve learned that
fairness and justice start with care. Systemic change grows from small, everyday acts of compassion.
It’s in the way we show up for one another that communities begin to transform.
To me, being a leader now means being caring, curious, and completely myself. I used to think leaders
were born that way, and that I wasn’t one of them. I was too outgoing, too unsure, too different. But
I’ve learned that leadership is not something you are born with; it’s something you grow into. It’s a
journey of learning, listening, and standing up for what matters.
In the next fifteen years, I hope Girl Up continues to thrive with the same energy and passion that
started it all. I hope we keep pushing boundaries, launching bold campaigns, and creating
opportunities for girls everywhere to rise and lead. I want future generations to feel the same spark of
purpose that first inspired me.
If I could speak to my younger self, I would tell her that there are no limits to what she can become.
Things might get hard, and life might feel uncertain, but what is meant for her will always find its
way. I would tell her that no matter how difficult things seem, there is always room to grow, to
change, or to begin again. And most importantly, I would tell her that she is enough, exactly as she is.
