Priscilla Vaz

Priscilla Vaz is a social scientist, a popular educator and an activist for gender/race equity and social justice. As a social scientist, Priscilla has been doing research on the interfaces of globalization, ethnicity and community development. She is especially interested in doing research and grassroots work with networks of black women to investigate and to experience their mobilization to implementing solidarity economics initiatives to fight poverty and to promote human rights. She is one of the founders of Sauti Yetu Gorée, a network of activist women from Africa and African Diaspora that promotes joint-ventures to support a residency program for political and cultural exchange among activists women. Since 2003, she has been doing grassroots works at the PsicoUsp Educational Project, a not- for- profit, self-organized and collectively-led organization, aimed at mentoring low-income and black students in their challenge to overcome socioeconomic and racial barriers to access public higher education. Upon completion of the Rotary World Peace Program, Priscilla plans to work with collectives, NGO’s or international institutions, to help in the implementation of collective processes of building sustainable, locally-rooted, globally-connected, and ecologically sound initiatives of solidarity economics. To pursue the Diplomatic career in the Brazilian Government is also another plan for a future career.