From the Mat to the World: Maria Eduarda’s Journey  

Q1. Could you please briefly introduce yourself?

Hi, my name is Maria Eduarda Braga Basílio, I'm 17 years old and I've been part of Luta pela Paz (Fight for Peace) for 9 years. I live in Nova Holanda, in the Maré community. I study at CIEP 326 Professor César Pernetta. I practice jiu-jitsu and I love reading romance novels, science fiction, and short stories. The last book I read was “Eros: A Forbidden Love” by Fernanda Schmitt. I liked it because it talks about Greek mythology, which is a subject I really enjoy. I started getting interested in it because my parents used to watch a lot of movies about it.

I also like listening to music—I'm very eclectic—but my favorite genres are rap/trap and MPB (Brazilian Popular Music). My favorite artists are Orochi and Djavan. I also enjoy learning new things. Recently, I’ve learned about racism, race and ethnicity, gender, and different forms of prejudice and discrimination. I love walking around the city, going to the beach, shopping malls, and attending samba and pagode music gatherings.



Q2. What motivated you to practice martial arts, and how has it impacted your life?

A friend of mine, Rillary, used to practice jiu-jitsu and invited me to try a class. That’s how I got to know Luta pela Paz, and it was a turning point in my life. I was able to see another side—the sports side. Before jiu-jitsu, I had done ballet and judo, but I didn’t really connect with them. When I started practicing jiu-jitsu, it stole my heart.

It impacted many areas of my life. I became a much more communicative and active person. Through it, I made many friendships and visited many places—historic or not. One place that really marked me was when I spoke in public for the first time, during a dinner at the British Consulate.



Q3. Does martial arts help you develop both your physical and mental health?

Yes, all the support I received from Luta pela Paz helped me grow in many aspects of my life. My physical health improved—I started feeling more energetic thanks to sports—and my mental health improved as well, especially through the conversations we have in the Personal Development classes, which helped me become more focused. The Youth Council also helped me a lot with my self-esteem and self-care, since those are topics we work on in our meetings.  



Q4. Please share with us your future goals.

Ah, I really want to study Psychology or Physical Education in college. I’ve already started studying at home, since I can only take a preparatory course when I’m in the third year of high school. I want to pursue these degrees so I can stay connected to the world of sports—either as a sports psychologist or a sports coach.

My dream is also to earn a black belt in jiu-jitsu one day. I’m currently a blue belt, and I hope to become an educator in the future—so I can support people through sports, just like I was once supported and welcomed.

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