Hello, I'm Jaci B.

I am Founder and Director of the NGO 'ETIV do Brasil'. The organisation is focusing mainly on environmental conservation and development in Brasil but also empowering girls and women in our community, Passagem. After growing up in upstate New York with my brazilian dad and american mum, I earned a Bachelors degree (BA) in Psychology and worked in therapeutic foster care for a few years. Later on, I moved to Colorado to earn a dual Masters in Social Work (MSW) and International Studies (MA). I worked as a community organizer in Denver for several years, mainly focusing on social justice and human rights issues with a deep emphasis on immigrant rights. In 2010, I was brought to Washington D.C. to lead the grassroots immigration campaign for two national federations. After a year and half of politics in D.C., I decided that it was time to move abroad to live a simpler life. I sold my car and let go of most of my material belongings to improve my Spanish and pursue a career in International Development. I first went to Nicaragua to travel, volunteer and complete my yoga teacher training certification. I later moved to Peru to accept a position managing a volunteer lead Non Governmental Organization (NGO). In February of 2015, I decided to pursue my lifelong dream of moving to Brazil to finally learn Portuguese, connect with my Brazilian roots and start a new NGO someplace where the disparity and the need is quite profound. Exactly 30 years after my first trip to Brazil, I founded ETIV do Brazil; which envisions a world where more people care for each other and the environment, actively creating greater equality and opportunities for all.