About us
Our Story
Linley Foundation began with a simple conviction: that education, compassion, and a sense of responsibility for others can help create a more equitable society.
Its origins lie in the small fishing village of Barra de Mamanguape in northeastern Brazil, where David Adams and his partner, Maria Lucia Ferreira, lived for part of each year. They wanted to become more engaged with the community around them and find practical ways to address some of the issues they encountered.
In February 2006, they adopted a sick, malnourished horse and arranged for a veterinarian to care for it. Curious village children began gathering to watch. David and Maria Lucia invited them to participate, and the veterinarian taught them the basics of animal care, along with a simple principle: treat others as you would wish to be treated.
The children gradually assumed responsibility for the horse. With proper care, it recovered its health and beauty. They named it Espelho—Portuguese for mirror—because it reflected the treatment it received: neglect on the one hand, compassion and care on the other.
That experience became the beginning of a series of educational and community projects supported by the Foundation, including scholarships, vocational training, improvements to rural schools, community health, and emergency housing.
From Community Projects to
a Civic Education Platform
Over time, these experiences reinforced a belief that education can do more than impart knowledge. It can encourage empathy, responsibility, and a greater understanding of the lives and perspectives of others.
Drawing on their backgrounds in education, business, and the arts, David and Maria Lucia began exploring how these principles could be applied on a much larger scale. In 2018, Linley Foundation decided to concentrate its resources on civic education and democratic participation.
The result is Civic Portrait, a civic education model and digital platform that enables young people to express their aspirations, explore different points of view, and engage in the practice of democracy.
Its first application is The America I Want, a national initiative that invites students to consider what kind of country they want to live in. Through the platform, their responses become Civic Portraits that can be explored and compared across schools and communities, creating opportunities for discussion, debate, and civic learning.
What began with a small educational project in a Brazilian fishing village has evolved into an effort to engage young people in conversations about the future of their societies.
