May the leadership be with you

As a child, I aimed for good grades while also loving the geek world: Star Wars, Harry Potter, X-Men. […] This universe shaped me as a protagonist… I always loved the leader characters, even those who don’t appear much in the story but still have a big impact on the rebellion. […] So I grew up with this, and throughout my life, I lived with people I deeply admire, with a vibe of “Let’s fight against this empire,” you know?

Meet Felipe Mendonça, a Brazilian LALíder. From a young age, Felipe had a vision that fostered collectivism. As a child, he loved engaging with people and solving problems. This youthful body and rebellious mindset eventually led him to become an ambitious and empathetic young leader. As a young adult, Felipe is full of future goals and is on a path filled with achievements and transformative experiences.

His journey through education was long and filled with obstacles.

Driven by the desire to explore the all new things and the opportunities it would bring, Felipe joined his school’s Robotics team. During his high school years, he developed research skills, creativity, and teamwork abilities, and expanded his vision for solving relevant problems. His team stood out and advanced to the state and national stages, ultimately securing a spot at the world championships at the University of Arkansas in the U.S.

And off he went. Through this journey, Felipe discovered how enchanting life abroad could be—and thus the desire to study overseas was born.

I was a very ambitious person, and all my wallpapers were from Ivy Leagues like Harvard and Yale. […] At this point, I started the application process, prepared for tests, applied for mentorships, organized my extracurriculars, and so on.

In search of the best results for studying abroad, Felipe, in 2020-21, was a mentee of the renowned BRASA mentorship program that helps young people secure study opportunities worldwide. He was excited but anxious. Everything seemed set for a bright future. With a better understanding of the process and himself, the young man applied to 21 colleges and, within a few months, received the news that he had not been accepted as planned. Felipe says, “You feel rejected as a person. But even with that feeling, I didn’t give up.”

Yes, giving up was not an option

Focused on his dream of graduating abroad, Felipe took a gap year to enhance his applicant profile. During this year, he was accepted into the LALA mentorship program, University Placement. With the support of the program, he was admitted to renowned universities worldwide, including Bowdoin, NYU Shanghai, and the college where he was accepted to study Government as part of the Class of ‘27, Dartmouth College. His acceptance into one of the best universities in the U.S. is proof that believing in oneself is a fundamental pillar for success.

LALA is breaking barriers and building dreams. The Dartmouth student asserts that 40% of Latinos at his college are LALíderes, and many of the people he interacts with today are from LALA. Felipe became a LALíder in 2021, with VLB5. In the following months, he worked as a Coach and Facilitator in an impressive range of camps. Acting as a facilitator is one of the most beautiful things he’s ever done, he says.

“Every new camp brought the possibility of meeting new people, helping them through the process, and learning from those experiences.”

Politics is the art of all arts

Leadership is very much about your passions and how you use who you are and what you love to define your impact. It’s about understanding what’s inside you to shape who you are as a leader. […] Anyone can be a great leader. […] For me, it’s also very artistic. I’ve always been passionate about art in general.

Throughout his journey, Mendonça found himself irresistibly drawn to art and politics, despite not having anyone in his family working in these fields. It was a distant yet dazzling world.

To bridge the gap in this world, the young man created a project where he dressed as a drag queen and produced videos on social media about relevant issues in Brazilian politics. Inspired by drag artists like Rita Von Hunty and driven by the desire to act as an activist, Felipe brought to life Lady Hope, his drag persona. Now, with the knowledge and resources he has at his college, he works as an activist, is a union member, and is the current president of the Dartmouth drag house. “I always try to involve myself in various spaces that help me grow,” he says.

Felipe is the hope for a better world. “ […] When you’re in makeup, with big hair, a dress, and high heels, it’s very easy to get attention.” In the world of activism, it’s important for people to hear you, and that’s exactly what Felipe seeks through drag art. Drag art has the power to be heard.

Looking to the future, Felipe is working towards clarity in his beliefs. As an international student, he has gained knowledge and lived experiences that he would not have had access to in Brazil.

He is more prepared than ever to make the world a fairer, kinder place. May the leadership be with you.

This interview was scheduled by Ana Caroline Pereira dos Santos, written by Breno Lima, and edited by Gustavo Caetano. They are part of LALA’s Volunteer Media Production Team.