«Water is an essential human right and a non-negotiable common good. It cannot be turned into a commodity; it is a source of life, dignity and balance. I am proud and honoured to be an Ambassador for the Blue Community, which is committed to ensuring universal and free access to water through public, democratic and sustainable management. I have dedicated my life and career to defending the Rights of Nature, socio-environmental justice and life itself, and I will continue to do so.»
Born in Montes Claros in the north of Minas Gerais, Marilene Alves de Souza, also known as Leninha, is a biologist who holds a Master’s degree in Social Development from Unimontes. Currently a state representative, she was re-elected for a second term and is the first black woman to assume the vice-presidency of the Legislative Assembly of Minas Gerais.
Leninha was a teacher in the state and municipal education systems, and was elected state director of the Minas Gerais Education Workers’ Union (Sind-UTE/MG), as well as regional president of the Central Workers’ Union (CUT). Leninha has participated in the State Council for Agricultural Development (Cedraf/MG) and the Municipal Council for Food Security.
Leninha has also coordinated the Centre for Alternative Agriculture in Northern Minas Gerais and the Brazilian and Minas Gerais Semi-Arid Regions Network (ASA and ASA/MG). She has also served as director-secretary of Caritas Brasileira, and as a member of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council of the Archdiocese and the Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Montes Claros. In 2016, Leninha ran for mayor of Montes Claros for the PT, obtaining more than 36,000 votes.
She was first elected as a state deputy in 2018 and was re-elected in 2022. Since then, she has continued to advocate for the most vulnerable in society: the poor, black people, women, young people, the LGBTQIA+ community, rural and urban workers, and traditional peoples and communities. She fights for dignity for all. In the Assembly, she defends life, work, the right to land and territory, pesticide-free food production, free and quality public education, and the right to art, culture and well-being.
As president of the Human Rights Commission of the Minas Gerais State Parliament and PT faction president, she is committed to the right of access to water. The work of this commission is particularly important in the current context of threats to the Rio Pardo from mining and agro-industry.
End of August 2025, Leninha and her team was visiting Switzerland and Germany for several public and internal events with Blue Communities in Zurich, Bern, and Büdingen..
Read all Blue News from and about Leninha here
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