In addition to being a singer and songwriter, Raquel is also a businesswoman and CEO of the Nhaí!
Singer-songwriter Raquel Virginia is also dedicated to fighting for LGBTQIAP+ and transgender men and women’s rights. She is still a businesswoman and CEO of the Nhaí! agency, which, according to her, has the mission of innovating narratives through consulting, curatorship and projects. The idea is to show that minorities can lead campaigns, actions and generate several opportunities for brands.
Raquel also created the Contaí project, with the purpose of generating business and connections between black LGBTQIAP+ entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs. The first edition of Contaí was held on January 28, in São Paulo, not by chance, on the eve of Trans Visibility Day. In this interview, Raquel takes stock of Contaí, whose work resulted in 25 LGBTQIAP+ businesses, not bad for a debut event. Below are excerpts from this interview.
LEGACY
Certainly the main result of the Contaí meeting, held in January of this year, is to realize that we are, indeed, power when it comes to entrepreneurship. It is the recognition of our role in the economy and the oxygenation of it. And most important of all this: we will be able to build a legacy.
PILOT
About the businesses that Contaí managed to leverage in this inaugural edition of the event, it was a brand of 25 LGBTQIAP+ businesses, taking into account that this was the first project, a pilot that showed what is yet to come.
CHANGE
It remains difficult to generate business and connections between black LGBTQIAP+ entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs, but we are on the way to change this scenario and I feel that many things are already constantly changing – in a positive way.
ABSORPTION
The advertising market is reacting very positively and proactively with our community. In the first edition of Contaí, we already have many brands in mind. We will certainly have great absorption, as the project has great curation, is well grounded in the purpose, mission and very legitimate.
CAN
Regarding “avoiding” advertising in campaigns against LGBTQIAP+ people or artists, I don’t think the correct term is avoid. I believe brands still need to expand the possibilities when it comes to the LGBTQIAP+ community. They need to consider that we can be in multiple campaigns and that just makes the product more powerful.
PARADIGMS
All our projects are moving towards solving some paradigms. And we do it very organically.
PROPOSITIONS
Our entire team is black and LGBTQIAP+, that is, all our propositions are moving in this direction.
LABOR
Companies have a lack of repertoires and internal policies to hire professionals. I think this is reflected in the choices at the time of recruitment. Nothing that good consulting and well-designed goals can’t solve.
CONNECTION
The objective of our Nhaí agency is to offer a broader and more legitimate repertoire to companies that want to connect with the diversity agenda.
PROUD
Nhaí has already put on the street, in addition to Contaí, Doritos Rainbow 2021, another project that fills us with pride.
