You Don’t Need All the Answers to Find Your Direction

Through LALA Impulso, Jean Pereira dos Santos and his supporter, Victoria Amato, are discovering how sharing experiences, asking better questions, and trusting the process can make a difference in both their journeys.

At 20, Jean Pereira dos Santos has already crossed borders to pursue an ambition that goes beyond his own education. Originally from Cavalcante, Goiás, Brazil, he hopes to help expand access to education and public policies for Quilombola, riverside, and Indigenous communities — groups whose perspectives and needs are often underserved.

Now studying Social Policy and Economics at Northwestern University, Jean is exploring how education and public policy can expand opportunities for underserved communities. LALA supported his path to studying abroad through its Admissions Office and University Placement, and he has since given back as a Buddy Program mentor, helping other young people navigate the international university application process.

Yet, even as Jean helps others pursue opportunities of their own, he is still navigating questions about his future. With interests spanning different fields, he wants to understand how to turn what he learns into meaningful change — and what path will allow him to do so.

“I wanted to talk to people who had faced similar challenges, to understand possibilities I couldn’t see on my own,”

Within the program, Jean met Victoria Amato, an investor who recognized something familiar in his uncertainty: her own experience of navigating life and decisions while studying abroad. What began as an opportunity for Jean to gain new perspectives would become a relationship in which both discovered the value of sharing experiences, learning from one another, and finding confidence in the paths ahead.

A different perspective, not all the answers

For Victoria Amato, joining LALA Impulso brought together her professional experience in startup investing and her belief in LALA’s mission. Having seen how investments in technology can drive meaningful change across Latin America, she recognized a similar potential in supporting young leaders.

“I really believe in what LALA is trying to do, and I’ve always wanted to give back a little of what I’ve received. I work in startup investing, where we believe that capital invested in technology can create exponential change. Over time, I realized that supporting young leaders has exactly the same potential. When I connected those two ideas, it became clear to me that LALA does with leadership what we try to do with technology in Latin America — and it’s something I love doing.”

In Jean, Victoria saw a curious, humble young leader with many possibilities ahead of him. Their conversations became a space where he could share his doubts without feeling pressured to have everything figured out.

One piece of advice she shared stayed with him:

“Whatever path you choose, you need to be at peace with your decision.”

Hearing this from Victoria helped Jean recognize that there isn’t just one right path to follow. Rather than looking for someone to decide his future for him, he began to see the importance of making choices that felt right for him — and trusting himself along the way.

A relationship that goes both ways

Victoria expected to contribute her experience. Instead, she found herself learning, too.

“It may sound cliché, but it’s true: I thought I would be contributing, and I leave every conversation with him energized, having learned so much.”

For her, the impact isn’t about having all the right answers. It’s about sharing experiences with someone ready to reflect, explore, and put new perspectives into practice.

And for Jean, having someone by his side means knowing he doesn’t have to figure everything out alone.

Finding direction, one conversation at a time

Looking ahead, Jean hopes to feel at peace with his academic and professional choices and offer other young people the same care and guidance he has received.

For him, LALA Impulso is about direction: not because someone else will choose the way forward, but because meaningful conversations can help him see new possibilities, ask better questions, and trust himself enough to choose.

This is what makes the program so impactful. By connecting LALíderes with people willing to share their time, experience, and perspective, the program creates relationships where learning and growth happen on both sides.

Because sometimes, you don’t need someone to tell you where to go. You just need someone who helps you see that there is more than one way forward.

Want to help young Latin American leaders discover what’s possible? Learn more about LALA Impulso and discover how you can empower a young leader’s journey.

Learn more: https://lalaimpulso.latinamericanleadershipacademy.org