Marina Silva: Defending Rainforest Communities in Brazil: Women Changing the World

This first-ever biography of the courageous leader of Amazonia brings young readers into the life of an inspiring woman role model.

Born in the Amazon rainforest of Acre, Brazil, Marina Silva spent the days of her childhood walking through the forest collecting the sap from rubber trees to earn a meager living. For indigenous people, education was unattainable, health care nonexistent, and equality unimaginable. Even worse, the rainforest, so essential to their livelihood and culture, was being destroyed to make way for cattle ranches. Marina traveled to the city to get an education, where she learned that the rainforest did more than support the rubber tappers; it is a precious ecosystem necessary to the survival of the world. Marina soon joined the party of Chico Mendes, the legendary environmental, labor, and land reform leader, and later campaigned and was elected to Brazil's senate, where she fought for environmental protection and sustainable development.

Marina's work generated worldwide recognition, including the Goldman Environmental Prize and Ms. magazine's 1998 Woman of the Year award.