We’re excited to highlight the September LOLA of the Month
Congratulations Dalila Lisboa Rodrigues!
Meet Dalila…
Dalila Lisboa Rodrigues serves as the Events Director for the National Board of the Ladies of Liberty Alliance in Brazil. She is a student at the International Relations Institute of the University of São Paulo where she researches Latin American foreign policy. She balances her studies and role with LOLA with her role as a local coordinator with Students For Liberty Brazil and a volunteer with RenovaBr. As a well-rounded, educated, and passionate advocate for liberty in both her personal and professional lives, Dalila truly embodies what it means to be a Lady of Liberty.
We asked Dalila about her experiences in LOLA thus far. Here’s what she had to say!
Dalila (third from right), at the LOLA Brasil table among other LOLAs
How did your involvement with LOLA begin?
I found the Ladies of Liberty Alliance (LOLA) in 2019 when I became a local coordinator at Students For Liberty. Since I have been in the Liberty Movement in Brazil, I realized that there were very few women and because of that, social and gender issues weren’t discussed. I just wasn’t satisfied with the lack of women in the liberty movement. When I first heard about LOLA, I knew it was the part of the liberty movement that had been missing and I instantly knew I wanted to be part of it. I then met with the São Paulo chapter and in August 2019 I started building the National Board as the event director for LOLA Brazil.
“LOLA is important because we bring the points neglected by others in the liberty movement for discussion, showing that we can expand the liberty movement to different demographics. We created a space where women can discuss their opinions about economics, politics, and beyond while both encouraging and training leaders. Before LOLA came to Brazil, Brazilian women did not have a space like this.”
What is your favorite part of your role with LOLA?
Being a LOLA is amazing in many ways. I have an opportunity to connect with women from all over Brazil. These women are from different states, cities, ages, classes, and opinions and that’s amazing because each one can contribute with different perspectives for each of the subjects we discuss. My role with LOLA is also good for creating academic and professional connections both within Brazil and internationally. My favorite part of my role with LOLA is the events because they give me the opportunity to meet other Ladies of Liberty, discuss important issues, and have fun. Now that Covid-19 has forced us into quarantine, we’re hosting weekly virtual events. It’s been an amazing experience as the Events Director. We are trying to stay in touch and bring really important discussions despite the current scenario, and the virtual model allows chapters from all over the country to come together.
LOLAs visit to São Paulo councilwomen (Dalila first on left)
Why is LOLA important to women in your community?
The liberty movement in Brazil looks like all other spaces of politics in the country. It’s a movement mostly composed of rich men and all they discuss is economics. In my opinion, the lack of diversity is a large aspect of why we’ve stopped discussing important social issues in the liberty movement. LOLA is important because we bring the points neglected by the movement for discussion, showing that we can expand the liberty movement to different demographics. We created a space where women can discuss their opinions about economics, politics, and beyond while both encouraging and training leaders. Before LOLA came to Brazil, Brazilian women did not have a space like this.
An event on women in the financial market at Dalila’s (first on the left) university
Can you tell us the story of how you found Liberty?
I found liberty at the 2018 presidential election of Brazil. It was a totally polarized election and I felt lost among the radically polarized discourse. I started to research political ideologies and philosophies and realized I strongly identified with classical liberal thinking. I found a pro-liberty study group at my university where I was able to listen, discuss, and dive into important topics in a way I hadn’t before. That’s when I recognized the importance of liberty for a successful society and that we need to fight to have a freer future. Today, I identify with classical liberalism, because I think the lack of economic opportunities, education, health, etc., can be just as damaging to freedom as an oppressive state. My inspirations are Brazilians Guilherme Merquior and Joaquim Nabuco, and also, from other countries, Stuart Mill, Deidre McCloskey, and the incredible Mary Wollstonecraft, from whom I learned to fight for my rights and my freedom.
Dalila (far left), at a LOLA event
How do you balance being a LOLA chapter leader with other roles in your daily life?
These days, I try to balance my academic life with my passions. Beyond being the Events Director for LOLA Brazil, I’m also a local coordinator at Students for Liberty in São Paulo and an Academic Director at a pro-liberty group at my university. I’m very passionate about politics, so I dedicate my time as an ambassador of “Vote Nelas’’, an organization working toward a world where all women recognize themselves as a political force. I think the political world should be more representative and I’m trying to contribute to that being a volunteer in political campaigns of pro-liberty women who are running for the city council this year. I’m a volunteer of democracy at RenovaBr and I’m working on my own project of political education for young people. Since I’m a student of the International Relations Institute of the University of São Paulo (IRI/USP), I’m researching in the area of foreign policy in Latin America. At first, I thought it all would be too much to balance, as I organize weekly events at LOLA, but it’s all very rewarding and I enjoy my time doing everything.
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