Hi everyone!
My name is Carolina Novaes, and I am currently living in a small town in Iowa, United States. Originally from Southern Brazil close to the Uruguayan border, I am a junior at Grinnell College pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and German Studies. Although I am still exploring my passions and finding my place in my field, I am currently very excited to study about the German dialect that my family speaks and how it influences my community’s identity as German immigrants and Brazilians.
My other interests, if I can list just a few, include reading fiction, creative writing and learning about many different subjects. Recently, I have been enjoying reading about girls and women in royal history, a topic that has interested me for a while now. While I don’t know exactly what my dream job would be, I am sure that it would involve constant learning and sharing knowledge with other people.
Since I was a little girl, I have been drawn to museums, especially those that were able to teach me about the history of people that came before me. It is hard to say which museum is my favorite, but for now I would have to say Museu Imperial, located in Petrópolis, Brazil, mostly because of how excited I was every time I visited it as a kid. The palace where the museum was located used to be the summer residence of Brazil’s imperial family is a history class in itself. Inside the beautiful building, many of the rooms were designed to show visitors how life was in that place. Although Imperial Brazil was brutal to many populations in Brazilian society, the museum inspired me to learn more about my country’s history and even, I dare to say, was what first got me into politics.
The biggest issue facing girls I know is finding their voice in a world that seldom listens to them. While working with other girls in Girl Up, I learned the amazing things that a girl can do and accomplish. However, these amazing things are usually overshadowed by societal expectations, which unfortunately still force many girls not to pursue their dreams. I am excited to join Girl Museum to share what I learned and will learn about girlhood and to possibly impact the way other girls see their girlhood.
-Carolina Novaes
Junior Girl
Girl Museum Inc.