Atila Roque
Meet Atila, VP Head of Brazil Programs at Imaginable Futures. A historian and longtime civil society leader, he has dedicated his career to advancing human rights and addressing racism and structural inequities in Brazil and globally.
Before joining Imaginable Futures, Atila served for ten years as director of the Ford Foundation in Brazil, supporting organizations and movements working to advance racial justice, strengthen democracy, and expand rights and opportunities. He previously served as executive director of Amnesty International Brazil, and held leadership roles at the Institute for Socioeconomic Studies (INESC) and ActionAid International.
Atila began his career in the early 1980s at the Brazilian Institute of Social and Economic Analyses (IBASE). He has also been deeply involved in building international civil society networks and initiatives, and has participated in global spaces focused on democracy, transparency, and human rights.
Atila serves on the boards and advisory bodies of academic and civil society institutions, including the Brazilian Center for International Relations (CEBRI), the advisory board of Harvard University’s Brazil Office, and the Advisory Council of UNICEF Brazil.
Q&A
What lessons did you learn early in your career that you keep with you today?
Always listen attentively and with an open mind to perspectives that differ from your own. Knowledge is an ongoing process that requires opposing viewpoints to flourish.
Why do you love coming to work?
I love the opportunity to interact with people and engage with social struggles for equality. It's special to share dreams and walk alongside people who share the values of social justice and equality.
What current Imaginable Futures endeavors most excite you?
I am excited by the opportunity to engage in dialogue with the private philanthropy sector and other social actors who care about the role of education in strengthening democracy and equality, including the importance of making the fight against racism and the promotion of racial equality a priority.
If you didn’t work at Imaginable Futures, what would you be doing?
I would be looking to get involved in work that brings me as much excitement and joy as Imaginable Futures does right now. I would probably be working on writing a book that captures some of my nearly forty years of involvement in social struggles and efforts to strengthen global and national civil society.
If you could be one character from a book? Who would you choose and why?
Right now, I feel a strong connection to Mario Conde, the detective-dreamer-writer who appears in the novels of Cuban author Leonardo Padura. I admire his tragic love for Havana’s culture, his devotion to his dreams—even when they’re unfulfilled—and his loyalty to his friends.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was a child, I dreamed of becoming a pilot.
Where is your happy place?
In nature, watching birds, spending time with friends and my children.
What’s the closest thing to real magic in this world?
Music.
If someone narrated your life, who would you want it to be?
Lázaro Ramos, a Black Brazilian actor.
Favorite quote:
“They agreed to kill us, but we agreed not to die.” -- Conceição Evaristo (Brazilian writer)
What do you imagine or wish for the future?
A society where we would have more time to learn, talk, and live without fear.