Áurea Carolina de Freitas e Silva

Executive Director

NOSSAS exists to safeguard and strengthen democracy through civic engagement strategies, working towards a democratic Brazil with climate, racial and gender justice, where power is more evenly distributed, and citizens sit at the center of policymaking.

About NOSSAS

NOSSAS is a grassroots activism organization that creates and shares technologies for civic engagement; connects citizens through advocacy campaigns and social engagement; fosters solidarity networks; and coordinates coalitions across the social sector nationally.

Áurea Carolina de Freitas e Silva's Bio

Áurea Carolina is a Brazilian activist, popular educator, and social scientist. She has a life journey dedicated to the defense of the causes of women, black people, youth, traditional peoples and communities, and peripheral populations. She is an active voice in the movements against predatory mining and for cultural rights. In 2016, she was elected councilwoman of Belo Horizonte by the left-wing party PSOL together with the civil society collective Muitas, having the highest vote in the city. In 2018, she was elected federal deputy for the state of Minas Gerais – the most-voted woman in that state. In 2019, she was recognized by the Most Influential People of African Descent as one of the 100 most influential young black people in the world, in the category of Politics & Governance. In 2022, Áurea decided not to run for reelection and collaborated with President-elect Lula’s transition team to recreate the Brazilian government’s Ministry of Culture. Áurea is currently the executive director of Nossas.

Focus Area in Democracy
  • Cultivating informed, empowered, and engaged citizens and voters
  • Promoting free, fair and trusted elections
  • Contribute to achieving climate, racial and gender justice