VIDA for Her: Michele Freitas on backing young BJJ athletes

Michele Freitas, the creator of VIDA for Her, told VF Comunica how the project, which brings women together to support young Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athletes, turned a benefit dinner in Redondo Beach, California, into real help for girls who dreamed of competing at the IBJJF World Championship.

A co-owner of an academy with more than 500 students in California, Michele has already talked to VF Comunica about how she and her husband, Rodrigo Freitas, bought the academy where they worked and about the two myths of making a living from Jiu-Jitsu in the United States. This time, the topic is the movement she created inside the Inspirit Jiu Jitsu Foundation, a nonprofit based in Redondo Beach.

A dinner in Redondo Beach picked three athletes

The first VIDA for Her Benefit Dinner took place on May 9. That night, 14 athletes were introduced through videos they recorded themselves, and the guests helped choose the three who would receive support. The money raised covered registration, travel and gear for the World Championship.

The project is built on four pillars: voice, inspiration, courage and autonomy. In the Q&A below, Michele explains how the idea started, what stands in the way of girls trying to build an international career, what Beatriz Rodrigues’ journey represents and where the movement wants to go next.

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Q&A with Michele Freitas

VF Comunica: How did VIDA start, and when did you realize that women coming together could turn into real opportunities for young Jiu-Jitsu athletes?

Michele Freitas: VIDA for Her was born from a very personal reflection on the strength that exists when women come together with a real purpose.

I have always believed that when a woman earns her place, she also has the chance to open doors for others. But I realized that we are often surrounded by incredible women with extraordinary stories, and we don’t create enough opportunities to connect, share experiences and grow together. Being around amazing women showed me how much that changes our own lives and our choices. We start to see ourselves differently, and we start to truly love ourselves!

That’s where the idea came from: to create something that went far beyond social gatherings. I wanted to build a movement where every woman could find inspiration, recognition, support and, above all, a space where her voice matters.

I like to say that having a seat at the table is not enough. We need to build tables where other women can sit too. Sitting at the “right” table is essential!

Jiu-Jitsu came naturally into this mission because it is part of my life, and because I know firsthand the challenges that extremely talented young Brazilian athletes face.

When we planned our first benefit dinner, I saw the chance to turn this connection between women into something concrete: bringing together women who have already built their place to help girls who are just starting to build theirs.

That was when VIDA grew into something bigger. We stopped only talking about empowerment and started creating real opportunities.

Because I believe the true power of women lies not only in what we achieve individually, but in what we are able to change together.

VF Comunica: Voice, inspiration, courage and autonomy. How do these pillars work in practice?

Michele Freitas: These four pillars are the essence of VIDA for Her. We don’t want them to be just nice words attached to our project. We want them to be values that are lived and shared.

Voice means creating spaces where women can tell their stories, share their opinions and be heard. Many times, a woman just needs to realize that her story matters to find the courage to change her life.

Inspiration comes from connection. When we bring together women from different backgrounds, careers and experiences, we show that there is more than one path to success. One woman’s story can be exactly the push another one needs to keep going.

Courage is about facing fears, breaking limits and believing we can reach places that once felt out of reach. This connects directly to the young athletes we support. Many of them already show incredible courage by choosing sports as their path, despite so many obstacles.

Autonomy, for me, is one of the most important pillars. We don’t want to offer only short-term help. We want to help these women and girls build confidence, independence and the tools to create their own opportunities.

In our gatherings, social projects and sports initiatives, we try to turn these four values into action.

Because the goal of VIDA is not to create dependence, but to unlock potential, empower women and build paths so they can walk on their own two feet.

VF Comunica: At the first dinner, three Brazilian athletes were chosen out of 14. How did the selection work, and what stood out to you in their stories?

Michele Freitas: Our first benefit dinner was a very special moment, because we brought women together around a purpose that went far beyond that one night.

Our goal was to raise money so young Brazilian athletes could compete internationally, on one of the biggest stages in Jiu-Jitsu.

The selection process was especially emotional, because we introduced the candidates to the guests through videos the athletes made themselves, so people could learn a little about their journeys, their dreams and the struggles each one faces. The guests at the event took part in choosing who would receive the support.

What touched me most was realizing that we were looking at girls with huge dreams, but very different opportunities.

Brazil has extraordinary talent. Girls who train hard, make sacrifices, face financial struggles and still believe they can reach the top of the sport.

Very often, what keeps these athletes away from an international competition is not a lack of talent, discipline or dedication. It’s simply a lack of resources and opportunities.

And that moves me deeply.

As a woman, a mother and someone who lives Jiu-Jitsu, I believe no girl should have to give up on a dream just because she didn’t have the same opportunities as other athletes.

Choosing three girls meant much more than picking who would get support. It meant the chance to change perspectives and show them that there are people willing to believe in them.

And even though we couldn’t help everyone at that first moment, every story reinforced our responsibility to keep growing.

VF Comunica: Beyond money, what holds back young Brazilian women who dream of an international career in Jiu-Jitsu?

Michele Freitas: Money is one of the most visible barriers, but it’s far from the only one.

Building an international career takes much more than talent on the mat.

These girls need access to high-level training, international competition, professional guidance, connections, visibility and people who can help them understand how to turn the sport into a sustainable career.

There is also a very important emotional side.

Many young athletes grow up without enough examples of women who managed to turn their sports dreams into an international career.

When a girl can’t picture someone like her in a certain place, she may start to believe that place wasn’t made for her.

That’s why I believe so strongly in representation and mentorship.

Another challenge is the lack of structure that would let these athletes focus on the sport without sacrificing their education, their health and their personal growth.

We can’t look only at the athlete we want to develop. We have to look at the woman she is becoming.

VIDA for Her is trying to widen that view.

We want to help these girls understand that Jiu-Jitsu can open doors not only to medals and titles, but also to education, personal growth, professional connections and independence.

Because an athletic career has different stages, but the opportunities built along the way can change an entire life.

VF Comunica: Beatriz Rodrigues received support from the project to train and compete in the United States. What does her journey mean to you, and what has VIDA achieved so far?

Michele Freitas: When we look at a young athlete, we’re not just seeing her results. We’re looking at a girl who has dreams, who makes hard choices, who faces challenges and who believes her effort can take her further.

Being able to help a Brazilian athlete get international experience means a lot.

Training in another country, learning different methods, being around high-level athletes and competing internationally are experiences that can change not only performance, but also a young woman’s mindset and confidence.

And VIDA’s results need to be measured in a broader way.

Our first big result was turning an idea into a real movement. We brought women together, shared the stories of young athletes and created an initiative that connects people who want to help with people who need opportunities.

From there, we started building a bridge between Brazilian talent and international opportunities.

Of course medals and titles matter, but there is something I value even more: the change that happens when a girl realizes there are people who believe in her potential.

Sometimes all a young woman needs to change her path is one opportunity and someone who believes in her even before she wins her next title.

That’s the kind of impact we want to multiply.

VF Comunica: What comes next? Are there plans to support more athletes, create mentorship programs and bring in companies to invest in women’s Jiu-Jitsu?

Michele Freitas: VIDA for Her was born with a vision that goes far beyond a single event or a charity effort.

Our goal is to build a solid movement that creates lasting impact in women’s lives.

One of our next priorities is to keep creating international opportunities for Brazilian athletes. We’re working on initiatives that connect young talent with high-level training experiences in the United States, including opportunities tied to preparing for major No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu championships.

We also want to develop the education and mentorship side of the project.

I believe that bringing young athletes closer to women who have already built professional careers, in and out of sports, can be an extremely powerful tool.

We want these girls to have access not only to sports opportunities, but also to knowledge about leadership, personal growth, career planning and financial independence.

Another key point is building relationships with companies and brands that understand the value of investing in women’s sports.

We don’t want companies to see these initiatives only as sports sponsorship, but as an investment in human development, representation and social impact.

There is huge potential when the private sector, the sport and the community work together.

Our goal is to grow responsibly, gradually increase the number of athletes we support and build partnerships that turn one-time efforts into lasting opportunities.

But it’s also important to remember that VIDA for Her is not limited to Jiu-Jitsu.

Sport is one of the tools we use to create change, but our purpose is much bigger: to connect women, build their self-esteem, encourage their independence and create a real support network.

I believe one woman’s success should never be the end of a story. It can be the beginning of many others.

And that is exactly what we want to build with VIDA for Her.

Do you know an athlete who just needs one opportunity to make it to a big tournament? Tell us in the comments.

Read also

• From employees to owners: how Rodrigo and Michele Freitas bought the academy where they worked
• Making a living from Jiu-Jitsu in the United States: the two myths, according to Michele Freitas