Thalya

From the Amazon region, Thalya has always had a strong connection with the community where she lives and the culture of her territory. Through folklore and legends, she learned about the protective entities of the forests and rivers in the region. However, as she grew up, she became indignant in the face of a new scenario: excessive littering in the streets, rivers, and forests, as well as deforestation near the water sources. Troubled by the environmental degradation and the loss of connection among the young people in her community with their history, culture, and territory, Thalya and her friends formed Miri collective to combat environmental degradation and the loss of cultural memory through creative and diverse actions that combine environmental education, artistic production, popular communication, and the defense and valorization of the community's biodiversity.

The team operates in a horizontal manner and consists of eight members, as well as ten young mobilizers, and everyone has the opportunity to create and support each other in actions from different areas. The collective has changed the community's perception of the environment they live in and has carried out direct interventions in the city, such as the installation of garbage bins, cultural events, workshops, and film screenings on environmental themes. Additionally, they mobilized the City Hall to collect garbage twice a week in the agrovillage where they live, resulting in a significant reduction in improper waste disposal in the region. In 2022, the initiative impacted over 2500 people.