Isaias De Andrade

A Brazilian youth leader mobilizing Indigenous communities to protect the Amazon rainforest through grassroots activism and legal advocacy.

Isaias De Andrade is a 26-year-old activist and founder of Roots of Resistance, an organization defending Indigenous rights and Amazonian ecosystems. Born in the state of Pará to a Kayapó family, De Andrade witnessed illegal logging and mining encroachments on tribal lands from a young age. In 2020, he organized the March for the Amazon, a 1,200-kilometer protest march that brought global attention to deforestation rates under Brazil’s federal policies. The march culminated in a meeting with the UN Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Rights, leading to a landmark UN report condemning Brazil’s environmental policies in 2021.

De Andrade’s legal team has successfully sued companies linked to illegal land grabs, recovering over 1 million hectares of Indigenous territory. He co-authored Brazil’s first Indigenous Land Protection Bill, presented to Congress in 2023. His collaboration with scientists from Science Magazine produced a study showing Indigenous-managed lands have 70% less deforestation than unprotected areas. De Andrade’s advocacy gained momentum after his interview with National Geographic in 2022, titled "The Guardian of the Green Lungs of the Earth." He was nominated for the Right Livelihood Award in 2024, often called the “Alternative Nobel Prize.”

De Andrade’s approach blends traditional ecological knowledge with modern activism. He trains Indigenous youth in drone mapping to document illegal activities and uses social media to challenge government narratives. His memoir, The Forest Speaks: A Kayapó’s Fight for Survival, details his family’s history of resistance and future visions for the Amazon. Despite death threats from loggers, De Andrade remains a beacon of hope, stating, “The Amazon’s survival is not just Brazil’s battle—it’s humanity’s.”