Adriana Dias

She holds a degree in Social Sciences from the State University of Campinas, a master's (2007) and a doctorate (2018) in anthropology from the same institution. Since her graduation, Dias has specialized in the study of neo-Nazism in Brazil; her work discusses the organization of these groups in virtual environments.^[5] In her methodology, whenever she found a neo-Nazi website, she would physically print it out and report it until it was taken down.^[6] Dias identified 334 active neo-Nazi cells in the country,^[7][8] that number having jumped to 530 by 2021.^[9] One of her discoveries was a 2004 letter signed by then deputy Jair Bolsonaro posted on a neo-Nazi website; in it the politician writes, "Every feedback I get from the communiqués becomes a stimulus to my work. You are the reason my mandate exists.”^[6]

Dias had osteogenesis imperfecta,^[10] and became known for her activism for the rights of people with disabilities and rare diseases. She was the creator of Instituto Baresi, a national forum associating people with rare diseases, disabilities, and other minority groups, and coordinated the Brazilian Anthropology Association's "Disability and Accessibility" Committee.^[8] and was a member of the American Anthropological Association.^[11] In politics, she integrated the National Front for Women with Disabilities, was part of the Life and Justice Association in Support of Victims of COVID-19, and participated in the transition team for the third government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, in 2022,^[1] She participated in hearings of the Parliamentary Inquiry Commission of the Campinas Chamber that investigated Nazi-fascist crimes,^[12] and was important in the creation of the bill that instituted the National Day for Rare Diseases.^[13]

Dias died aged 52 anos on 29 January 2023, of brain cancer.^[14]