Luiz Felipe Pinto, a native of Rio de Janeiro, has spent “half of his life in Ibiza”, specifically “since 27 April 2001”. “Completely opposed to the social injustice, racism, violence and homophobia that existed — and still exist — in Brazil”, he decided to look for another place where he could live “with a sense of peace, freedom and security”, which he found in the Pitiusas. He explained this yesterday to Diario de Ibiza, just a few hours before taking part in a colloquium at the C19 cultural centre in Ibiza Town, led by Bea de Astorza, education officer at the Fons Pitiús de Cooperació.
His testimony is one of the 25 featured in the exhibition Històries de migracions. Eivissa i Formentera, terra de sortida i arribada, as well as in the audiovisual production of the same name, which was screened alongside the talk to mark the International Migrants Day, commemorated this Thursday.
Before arriving in the Pitiusas, Pinto had already lived abroad. He completed his secondary education in Sweden and, in 2000, spent two months in New York, where his brother lives, although the experience did not convince him. He eventually decided to come to Ibiza after a friend, a flamenco dancer, suggested he spend the summer season on the Balearic island.
His initial plan was to work at the front desk of a gym, but as his administrative situation had not yet been regularised, he was not hired. “With no other option, I started working as a go-go boy in a nightclub and later continued in nightlife as a public relations worker and doorman, until I eventually found a job in a shop in Ibiza port”, explains Pinto, who had previously worked in the performing arts in Brazil.
Determined to change the course of his life, he discovered his vocation in healthcare after a close friend and colleague was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He went on to study nursing at the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB) and learned Catalan, reaching C2 level through the Institut d’Estudis Eivissencs (IEE).
For the full article, please visit Diario de Ibiza website here.