✍🏾 Publications for the Public
For me, it is not enough to publish only in academic spaces. I believe research and ideas should also be accessible to the wider public. Communicating with communities in clear, inclusive, and practical ways is just as important as contributing to scholarly debates. Through newspaper articles, community media, and digital platforms, I have been sharing knowledge in ways that spark dialogue, challenge inequalities, and promote collective solutions.
My goal is to make complex issues such as disability rights, inclusive education, leadership, and gender equity, understandable and relevant for all, ensuring that knowledge is not limited to classrooms or conferences but reaches families, communities, and decision-makers.
📰UNDERSTANDING AUTISM CHARACTERISTICS ( Part II)
By Vanessa Macamo
This article, published in the December 2024 (8th Edition) of Masoko, grew out of my final assignment for Dr. Lansey’s class, Introduction to Autism.
Dr. Lansey’s thoughtful feedback on my final assignment encouraged me to expand the work into an article, aiming to reach a broader audience and to begin building toward future conference presentations.
The goal of the publication is to raise awareness about autism, particularly within the Mozambican community living in the United States, but also more broadly for people across the diaspora. Building on my earlier piece (Part I), this article deepens the conversation by offering accessible information to support understanding, inclusion, and advocacy for children and families. As a regular collaborator with Masoko, I see this platform as a way to translate academic learning into practical knowledge, connecting research with everyday realities and making information accessible to communities beyond academic circles.
Masoko Newsletter
Autism: What to Know — A Guide for Parents
Tech Lead
Published in the December 2024 (8th Edition) of Masoko newsletter, this article grew out of a final assignment in one of my classes with Dr. Lansey, "Introduction to Autism". Dr. Lansey’s encouraging feedback on my work inspired me to further develop the assignment into an article, with the goal of sharing it more broadly and preparing myself for future conference presentations. For that project, I developed two articles, with this being the first, focused on raising awareness about autism among parents in the Mozambican community. The piece provides practical guidance on how to better understand autism, how to interact and support children, what to learn as parents, and where to seek help and resources. By adapting an academic assignment into a public article, my goal was to translate knowledge into accessible information that empowers families, reduces stigma, and encourages early intervention and inclusion.
📰Gender and Disability Justice
By Vanessa Macamo
In the April 2024 (6th Edition) of Masoko, I published an article exploring the intersection of gender, disability, and justice, with a particular focus on access to education and the impact of conflict and displacement. I highlight the situation of girls and women with disabilities in Mozambique, especially in Cabo Delgado Province, where terrorism and violence have forced many families to flee their homes. Through this piece, I aim to amplify the voices of women facing compounded barriers—disability, gender inequality, and forced displacement—while calling attention to the urgent need for inclusive policies and educational opportunities that safeguard their rights. As part of my ongoing collaboration with Masoko, this article seeks to connect diaspora communities with critical realities unfolding in Mozambique
📰How to communicate with Deaf Person
By Vanessa Macamo
In the February 2024 (5th Edition) of Masoko, I published an article calling attention to the challenges of communicating with Deaf individuals when we lack the right tools, including knowledge of sign language. Drawing from a personal experience during an American Government program, I shared how I struggled to communicate with a fellow Mozambican participant who was Deaf. The situation left me feeling nervous and unprepared, but it also became an important lesson about the urgent need for society to embrace sign language and other inclusive communication strategies. Through this article, I sought to raise awareness and encourage greater accessibility, empathy, and preparedness in everyday interactions.
📰Right to Access to Sanitary Facilities for Persons with Disabilities in Mozambique
By Vanessa Macamo
In the November 2023 (4th Edition) of Masoko, I published an article highlighting the importance of accessibility to sanitary facilities for persons with disabilities in Mozambique. The piece was inspired by my experience as a Master’s student at the University of Galway in Ireland, where I observed that restrooms consistently included designated, accessible spaces for wheelchair users and others requiring assistance. Reflecting on this contrast, I noted that while Mozambique has approved accessibility regulations, much remains to be done to ensure that public spaces—especially bathrooms—are inclusive and usable for all. Through this article, I sought to spark dialogue on how overlooked areas of accessibility, such as restrooms, are essential to dignity, equity, and the daily lives of persons with disabilities.
📰Está a cair água na sala 6 [Water is falling in classroom 6] in Notícias, one of Mozambique’s leading national newspapers
By Vanessa Macamo
In March 2025, I published the opinion article Está a cair água na sala 6 [Water is falling in classroom 6] in Notícias, one of Mozambique’s leading national newspapers. I wrote this piece as a call to action to the newly elected government, urging leaders to revisit and fulfill their campaign promises on education. Using the image of rain literally leaking into a classroom, I wanted to highlight the urgent realities of our education system and how they directly affect students’ ability to learn. My goal was not only to point out the crumbling infrastructure but also to underline the inequities that persist barriers that make it nearly impossible for many children, especially those with disabilities, to achieve their full potential in such environments.
For me, this article was also about inclusion. It was about showing how systemic neglect reinforces exclusion and inequity, making it harder for children from marginalized families to access quality education. I wanted to push policymakers to move beyond symbolic gestures and political travel, and instead face the real problems inside our schools.
My message was clear: every Mozambican child deserves to learn in a safe, inclusive, and dignified environment where success is not determined by circumstance but supported by equitable opportunity.
