Renato Diniz, from Recife, Brazil, joined Students For Liberty as a Local Coordinator in 2017, while studying engineering at UFPE (Universidade Federal de Pernambuco). During his time as a student activist, he went on to become a State Coordinator and later Students For Liberty’s Regional Coordinator for the Northeast Region of Brazil.
Having a keen interest in people management and leadership, Renato has given numerous courses on libertarian leadership, encouraging others to become more effective in running their movements.
Here, Renato Diniz answers some questions about his journey with Students For Liberty.
1. What made you interested in the ideas of liberty?
Renato Diniz: What drew me to liberty was the idea that we could have a better life already today if the government obstructed our lives less. The world’s biggest problems do not exist by themselves but are often the results of a central, monopolizing government.
2. How did you hear about Students For Liberty and what made you want to get involved?
RD: I heard about Students For Liberty via a Facebook post from a colleague of mine. At that time, I just wanted to learn more about liberalism and its ideas, so I thought I could do that while making new friends.
3. What was your greatest accomplishment as a student leader with SFL?
RD: My greatest accomplishment was to be invited to speak at one of the national training sessions we had back in 2018. I had the opportunity to lecture about servant leadership to 50 other SFL leaders and staff members.
4. How has your time with SFL shaped who you are today?
RD: Students For Liberty actually created a 180-degree turn in my career. I had the opportunity to work in a political campaign and because of my activism in SFL, I got my day job at Ideias Radicais, where I promote liberty by teaching leadership to fellow SFL members and other freedom activists.
5. What projects did you work on to help promote a freer future?
RD: During my early involvement in SFL, I created one of the first cultural assessments in the organization, aimed at better understanding the needs and wishes our coordinators had at the time. It received more than 300 responses.
6. What results have you seen due to these efforts?
RD: I developed a series of training manuals and articles about volunteer management, where lots of other coordinators based their actions upon. Years later, I still receive messages about how those articles helped people how to train and manage volunteers.
7. What skills are required in your position on a daily basis and how did SFL help you develop those skills?
RD: Students For Liberty was definitely instrumental in providing me with the leadership skills I require today. It was in SFL that I first occupied a leadership position, and I got to understand what a leader must do and how a leader must act.
8. What advice would you give current SFL leaders?
RD: Follow your dreams. If you have an idea, try it out and do it yourself. Don’t wait for someone’s approval or validation.
9. What surprised you most about joining SFL?
Renato Diniz: The community. I would never ever have expected the number of friendships I’ve made because of SFL. It is simply amazing and one of its most important features to me.
This piece solely expresses the opinion of the author and not necessarily the organization as a whole. Students For Liberty is committed to facilitating a broad dialogue for liberty, representing a variety of opinions.
