During LGBTQIA+ Pride Month, we tried to bring out the faces behind the letters of the acronym here at Vale. We started yesterday, talking about our openly lesbian employees and the awareness work they develop within the company. Today, we are going to tell you a little about the struggles and achievements of some of our gay employees.
Alaf Cavalcante
Alaf Cavalcante joined Vale about 7 years ago as a young apprentice. Since then, the professional has specialized in electrical engineering and, today, is part of our PCM (Maintenance Planning and Control) team at the electricity management in Parauapebas, Pará.
Since the beginning of his professional career, Alaf says that he has felt the prejudice of some colleagues, indirectly, through jokes. But for him, society is in an undeniable process of evolution and everything is a matter of learning. Therefore, Alaf seeks to spread awareness inside and outside Vale, as a member of the local LGBTQIA+ Affinity Group.
No one is obliged to accept the other's point of view, but we have to at least respect those who are living with us. We don't know everyone's story in depth, but we can encourage people, talk to them and show them that we are human beings, people who need to be loved, regardless of their sexuality.
Michael Amaral
For over 5 years, Michael Amaral has been part of the Vale team. He is currently part of the Carajás iron mine components management team, working as a maintenance and planning technical assistant
Michael says that he was always afraid to talk about his sexual orientation in the job market, but the support network he found at Vale made him feel open to being who he really is, without reservations.
Pride is you being who you are. It's you being happy. It's you living your life the way you want to live it. You should face it out. It's not being afraid of who you are. It doesn't matter, live your life! I think the word pride is to love yourself as you are, regardless of what people think.
Marcelo Mota
Six years ago Marcelo Mota joined Vale as an operational trainee. Shortly thereafter, he was hired in the maintenance area and went through some areas until reaching the position he holds today with the risk and emergency management of the PAEBM (Emergency Action Plan for Mining Dams), in the Mariana complex.
What not everyone knows is that, before arriving at Vale, the professional spent years in the job market without talking about his sexual orientation. After joining the company, Marcelo decided to face fear and openly came out to the city and his co-workers when he got married. Marcelo made history in Mariana, starring in the first same-sex marriage in the small town's registry office and inspiring others with his determination.
It changed people's behavior quite a bit after my marriage. After me, others came out. Some even came to me to ask how it was going, and what it would be like if they came out too. That was really cool!
Gleyson Assis
Gleyson Assis started his career at Vale, through the trainee program, in early 2011. Since then, over a decade, the professional has grown within the company and has covered different areas, such as the operation of plants, in Itabira, and shipping, in Serra Sul, Pará. Currently, Gleyson is part of the team at the Integrated Operations Center (COI) for ferrous metals, in Parauapebas, also in Pará.
Coming from a family that has been part of Vale for three generations, Gleyson has been married for a year and says that, during his professional career, he has already had to deal with jokes from colleagues who felt uncomfortable when he entered the locker room.
Prejudice comes disguised as a joke sometimes. It comes disguised as a situation that the person says is a joke. But we know that being gay, or being black, or being a woman, is not a joke. It is not funny. Today, I thank God, and I am very proud of the fact that we have been working on inclusion and diversity agendas. I feel very supported by the company.
Frederic Nobs
Frédéric Nobs has been part of the Vale team in Switzerland for about a year and a half. The professional, graduated in administration and human resources, started his career at the company as an administrative assistant, supporting the purchasing area.
He says that he considers himself lucky for not having experienced situations of prejudice in the labor market, mainly because he knows that this is not a common reality for everyone. For him, the work carried out by affinity groups in companies has helped to change this scenario.
I think it's important that there is no difference between LGBTQIA+ relationships and heterosexual relationships. We are all human and deserve the same rights, regardless of who we are married to or who we love. I haven't had the opportunity to have this experience with the company yet, but I think it's important to know that there is no differentiation.