[{"jcr:title":"Affinity Networks’ leadership gather to strengthen an inclusive culture at Insper","cq:tags_0":"area-de-conhecimento:políticas-públicas/diversidade","cq:tags_1":"tipos-de-conteudo:acontece-no-insper/institucional"},{"richText":"Representatives of the six affinity networks met for a development session at Masp to reflect on the role of leadership in building a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive institutional culture","authorDate":"13/01/2026 09h13","madeBy":"Por","tag":"area-de-conhecimento:políticas-públicas/diversidade","title":"Affinity Networks’ leadership gather to strengthen an inclusive culture at Insper","variant":"imagecolor"},{"jcr:title":"transparente - turquesa - vermelho"},{"themeName":"transparente - turquesa - vermelho"},{"containerType":"containerTwo"},{"jcr:title":"Grid Container Section","layout":"responsiveGrid"},{"text":"MASP (Museum of Art of São Paulo) hosted the Insper Affinity Networks’ Leadership Development Meeting, bringing together representatives of the six networks — Gender, Race, Accessibility, LGBTQIAPN+, Culture & Religion, and Generations — for a day of deep exchanges, collective learning, and institutional strengthening. With a program that combined moments of reflection, active listening, and practical co-creation, the event, held on August 11, 2025, started from the idea that leading goes far beyond holding a title: it is about being in constant dialogue with others, acting with purpose, and committing to transformation. The day began with a breathing exercise led by Sensei Trindade, followed by a tour of the exhibition “Monet’s Ecology” at MASP. The visit, besides being inspiring, served as an invitation to view leadership through different lenses. The official opening featured presentations from the networks, followed by three panel conversations that brought diverse perspectives on what leadership means today — from the institutional to the community level, and from strategic planning to everyday listening. Marcelo Orticelli, Vice President of Organizational Development at Insper, shared reflections on the multiple dimensions of leadership within complex organizations. Drawing on his institutional experience, he emphasized the value of intentionality and relationship-building, including outside formal power structures, highlighting that leadership is also practiced through example, listening, and the encouragement of collective protagonism. In the second conversation, community leader Carmen Silva, founder of MSTC (Movimento Sem-Teto do Centro), offered a valuable perspective on leading in contexts marked by inequality. Her remarks underscored how listening, welcoming, and commitment to the common good are essential to engage and organize people around shared causes. Her experience showed that leadership also means creating spaces of safety and belonging. Closing the cycle, Renata Santos, Superintendent of Procurement & Facilities at Grupo HDI Seguros, and Thainá Assumpção, Senior Analyst on the DiverInsper team, discussed ways to strengthen engagement in diversity and inclusion initiatives. They addressed the importance of active listening, using data to inform decisions, and co-leadership as a strategy to distribute responsibilities. The conversation reinforced that leading in networked contexts also means opening space for everyone to contribute ideas and actions. Hands-on work: collective diagnosis and support pairings In the final phase, leaders took part in a collaborative activity to map vulnerabilities and strengths of their networks, creating visual diagnostics and forming “walking pairs” — partnerships between networks facing similar challenges. For many attendees, the meeting was more than a training event — it was a transformative experience. Cinthia Barbosa, Finance Professor and leader of the LGBTQIAPN+ Network, emphasized how coming closer to other leaders strengthened ties and created a sense of community: “Before, I would only cross paths with some people in the corridors. At MASP, we were actually able to listen, exchange, and connect. That creates a feeling that we are moving forward and building collectively.” Carla Carbone, leader of the Accessibility Network, highlighted how the event’s structure encouraged reflection and listening: “Starting with breathing, having a guided visit at MASP, being in a cultural environment… All of this helped us move away from urgency and into a state of presence and listening, essential for those who want to lead more consciously.” Both stressed the importance of leadership born from lived experience and a desire to welcome and transform. “Our biggest challenge is to turn prejudice into respect,” said Cinthia. “We want members of the LGBTQIAPN+ community to be able to carry out their work with safety and support.” Carla added a complementary view, reflecting on representativity and renewal: “Today I think about how important it is to have a person with a disability in the network’s leadership. It’s fundamental to create pathways so others can see themselves in that position and believe they can, indeed, lead.” They also spoke about the need to work in an integrated way with other networks. “Whenever I can, I participate in other networks’ events. The goal now is to strengthen these relationships even more, because the layers of diversity are interconnected and joint action amplifies our reach,” Carla said. Cinthia added: “From the start, I dreamed of joint actions. When we unite, we reach more people and create greater impact.” Leadership as a daily, transformative practice The Leadership Development Meeting reaffirmed that building inclusive leadership requires courage to listen, willingness to learn, and commitment to act. By valuing diverse experiences and strengthening support networks, Insper continues investing in a culture of belonging where every person can see themselves as an agent of change. As Cinthia aptly put it: “We don’t build anything alone — not without the collective. We need a network that supports us, and DiverInsper has been that network, opening paths for us to reach new spaces and giving growing attention to diversity.”"}]