Porto Velho, Brazil-born Zaya Guarani is making waves.

Having appeared in shoots for such global entities as British Vogue, Moncler, UGG and the Darren Aronofsky film Postcard From Earth (airing at the Sphere in Las Vegas), Guarani is a model who stands for more: as an Indigenous Brazilian, she is vocal in bringing visibility to her community and fighting against Amazonian deforestation.

“People need to understand native and indigenous people,” she says. “We are not just the stereotype of straight hair and dark skin. We are so different. Even in Brazil, there are hundreds of groups. We are so different.”

Guarani has posed for COSTA BRAZIL; she and us believe deeply in doing everything we can to promote sustainability in (and education around) the region.