Inclusion in Focus 2023: Lessons in Diversity and Audacity

The Impact of Racial Relations in the Corporate World

Another speaker delved deeper into the discussion of racial relations, highlighting how the racial issue shaped his own history and trajectory. He emphasized the importance of the Durban Conference in South Africa at the end of the 20th century, where Brazil acknowledged itself as a racist country and committed to creating public policies to combat racism. This turning point prompted the corporate sector to also act, recognizing that society does not change without the participation of the private sector.

Furthermore, the rise of social media and communication channels, such as Mundo Negro, was highlighted as fundamental for constructing a positive Black identity. By combating the "brutality" of racism that denies this construction, these channels enhance visibility and knowledge about Black history and culture, directly impacting the debate on diversity and inclusion in companies.

Carolina Videira: Empathy, Audacity, and Turma do Jiló

The founder of Turma do Jiló, Carolina Videira – or Carola, as she prefers to be called – moved everyone with her story. A neuroscientist and social entrepreneur, Carola recounted the turning point in her life in 2008 with the birth of her son João. After João's diagnosis of multiple disabilities and the medical prognosis that he would not survive or develop, Carola faced a dilemma at work: choose between a brilliant career and motherhood. Her audacity led her to resign and found Turma do Jiló, an ecosystem of inclusive practices.

The organization grew, winning awards and expanding its methodology. During the 2020 pandemic, in a moment of crisis and resource scarcity, Turma do Jiló demonstrated its resilience by daring to seek solutions. In partnership with the UN, the team traveled to Boa Vista to train refugee women with disabilities who were forgotten in shelters, successfully employing all of them, proving that "leaving no one behind" is possible with training and information.

Inclusion as a Choice and the “Neurotypical Syndrome”

Carola also shared her grief over the loss of her son João, at age 14, in 2021. Despite the pain, she found the strength to continue her mission. Inspired by Vygotsky, she states: "We are not born human; we become human. And being inclusive is a choice." There is no "half-inclusion"; the choice is individual and collective.

For companies, Carola is direct: either they are inclusive, or they will remain unhealthy. She presents a provocative concept: the "neurotypical syndrome." This is not a medical condition but a critique of a shallow, narrow, and unperspectived social view that sickens relationships and hinders the advancement of diversity. Neurodiversity is all of us; neurodivergence refers to some, but the "neurotypical syndrome" is the limiting belief that excludes. Carola concludes with a powerful call: together, we can make a difference and ensure that no one is left behind.

This event reinforced the message that the fight for inclusion and diversity requires courage, knowledge, and each individual's willingness to be an agent of change. The story of Turma do Jiló is a testament that, even in the face of the greatest adversities, audacity can generate profound transformations and build a more just future for all.