#38: Beatriz Buarque: From Brazilian journalist to winner of the Luxembourg Peace Price
Beatriz knew from a young age that she'd end up working for Globo TV, the premier television station in Brazil. And so she did. This led her on a journey she never could've imagined, starting an NGO for promoting positive social media campaigns amongst college students in response to news that ISIS and other alt-right groups were recruiting young people with their social media videos promoting racism and hate speech.
If you have a dream (like Beatriz wanting to be a journalist with Globo TV from the time she was 13), you can accomplish it with perseverance. Ignore all the friends who think you're crazy.
A dream may have to be delayed (like when Beatriz discovered she was pregnant and just before an interview for an internship with Globo TV). She delayed it for a year, then went on the interview when her baby was 3 months old.
Resilience might look crazy to others, but don't give up. Beatriz was called crazy by a nurse while studying for an internship interview while she was in the hospital in labor!
Women were born with an inherent talent to do multiple things at the same time and be happy. Don't let people tell you can't be a mother and do other things successfully.
Motherhood is an important part of our lives, but it's one part, not the whole part.
Beatriz felt the pull to take action against extremist groups. As a journalist, she saw the strategies these groups were using to recruit and impact young people. She used her passion to fight evil with love, literally.
Diversity is a strength, not a weakness. We need to embrace it.
We all have the choice to use our words for good or for evil.
Don't let the words "give up" exist for you. If someone tells you you can't, or if you fail the first few times, use that as fuel to motivate you to try harder. Beatriz got rejected from the first three master's programs she applied to, but she didn't give up.
Prepare for your goals like you're preparing for war. Beatriz hired a coach to help her get her application ready for a prestigious scholarship. She didn't just cross her fingers and hope she'd get it, she invested in herself and prepared vigorously.
When disappointment comes your way, do something productive, be of service to others like when Beatriz found out she was on the scholarship waiting list, she wallowed for a day, then the next day she started a website and non-profit.
When you have an idea, go for it, don't wait.
People, esp young people, want a sense of belonging. Words Heal the World promotes this sense of belonging by fostering a team or family-like environment. If young people don't find a healthy way to feel like they belong, they'll veer towards unhealthy groups like gangs or groups like ISIS.
If you're not valued in a situation, you might have to move on (Beatriz left her home country to relocate to the UK).
Use social media to share words of hope, peace, and love. Realize the impact when you share a message on Facebook, sometimes we think we're sharing a racist message to raise awareness, but we're inadvertently spreading the message. Instead, try sharing messages of peace and love.
https://www.wordshealtheworld.com/
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