The Itéramãxe Institute was founded in 2019 by five Black women at the University of São Paulo, Brazil's leading research university. We aim to democratize access to higher education, mental health counseling, and legal services.

 

We started as a mentorship program to support disadvantaged students applying for master's and doctoral programs. Every year, our volunteer team offers free workshops and one-on-one mentorship to our students. As of September 2025, we supported 579 students, 100 of whom were accepted by tuition-free postgraduate programs.

 

In response to increasing demand, we expanded our activities to promote access to mental health counseling and legal services. Our volunteer lawyers and mental health counselors offer assistance in cases of domestic violence, racism, and workers' rights.

 

Itéramãxe is the Yoruba word for perseverance and resistance. Our values are Social Justice, Belonging, Empowerment, and Accessibility. We are a product of this force.