New Economies from the Periphery

[PT] A versão em português está disponível no Relatório dos Dias Donut Global 2025 do Donut Brasil. Você pode baixar o PDF no fim da página, em Attachments.

The seminar “New Economies from the Periphery” was part of the programme of the Global Donut Days 2025 in Brazil and brought the debate on Doughnut Economics and new economies to the Federal Institute of Brasília, Samambaia campus. The activity brought together over 90 participants, including students, teachers and representatives from the impact ecosystem, as well as a representative from Sebrae DF.

The dialogue panel featured the participation of: Keila Meury and Jéssica Nascimento, from Coletiva PorElas; Joice Marques, from Casa Akotirene; Martiz Latina, from Boom Alternativa; Luiz Bonvini, from Impact Hub Global and Carolina Tomaz, from Donut Brasil.
The session was moderated by Lorena Costa.

In a two-hour session, the seminar hosted a roundtable discussion on entrepreneurship in the peripheries of Brasília, focusing on economic practices already present in these territories, such as circular, solidarity-based, creative and care economies.
 

The speakers shared concrete experiences of women entrepreneurs from regions such as Ceilândia and Sol Nascente, revealing how these economies emerge both from necessity and from collective awareness.

The discussion also highlighted a critique of the traditional economic model, centred on money as an end in itself, and presented Doughnut Economics as a lens that repositions life, well-being and human dignity at the centre of decision-making, while respecting planetary boundaries and recognising human beings as co-inhabitants of the planet.

One of the statements that captured the power of the gathering was shared by Keila Meury, from Coletiva PorElas:

“For those of us from the periphery, entrepreneurship is a political and collective act.
It is about caring for ourselves, for others and for the territory.”

The seminar established itself as a space for knowledge exchange, inspiration and recognition of the peripheries as territories of economic innovation, strengthening feelings of belonging, justice, resistance and collectivity among participants.

“Those who truly understand the economy in Brazil are Black women from the periphery.”
Joice Marques

“Coming together, staying close, caring for one another, being patient with each other’s mistakes… that’s how we manage to build.”
Jéssica Nascimento

“For the fashion industry, any fabric offcut is textile waste.
For us, it is gold.”
Martiz Latina

“New economies are about putting life at the centre.
About thinking of people and well-being, respecting nature, and remembering that we are nature.”
Carol Tomaz

Organisation: Carol Tomaz (Donut Brasil) and Lorena Costa (Ambiental Colab)
Support: Instituto Federal de Brasília, Ambiental Colab and NOUS.