Maíra Fernandes de Melo

Maíra Fernandes de Melo/True Powerful Earth (she/it), PhD, is a Brazilian journalist, poet, activist, and Order of Interbeing member. Born in the lands of Tupinambás, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, she grew up surrounded by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the mountains of the Atlantic Forest. She also lived in Argentina, land of Guaraníes—the dense stream of Paraná River embracing her body. Living in the Global South, she has witnessed all sorts of colonialism, imperialism, and social, racial, and environmental injustices. Maíra has Indigenous and European human ancestors, and is a daughter of Oxóssi, orisha of the forests in Brazilian candomblé. She dwells happily in hammocks and jabuticaba trees, loves the scent of wet earth, lots of coffee, and walking barefoot, and she is super happy to live the Zen teachings in a Brazilian kind of way.