Early years Born in Santos, Souza enrolled in the College of Philosophy, Sciences, and Arts at the
Catholic University of Santos through an award given by Casa Ricordi and through the Conservatório Musical de Santos. After completing her studies and graduating in pedagogy in 1966, she began her career as a teacher in both the public and private systems. She took the
vestibular at the Law School of the same institution, earning first place among 236 testers. She graduated with a law degree in 1971. At the same time, she did post-graduate studies in educational psychology at
PUC-SP and specialization courses in London and Munich. in March, the mayoralty was able to approve a proposal from the municipal council preventing readjustments to employee salaries on the basis of the index of changes to the cost of living, as measured by Dieese.
José Bonifácio While she was a federal deputy, Souza was the author of the law that made
José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva, who was from the
Baixada Santista region, a Herói da Pátria (Hero of the Fatherland) in 2005. As a state deputy, she was the author of Lei Estadual 11.049/2013, which instituted the “Programa Memória de José Bonifácio", which, among other things, would transfer the capital of the state of
São Paulo from the city of São Paulo to Santos, his hometown, every 13 June, his birthday. The proposal was released on the 250th birthday of the Patriarch of Independence, after the overturn of a veto by then governor
Geraldo Alckmin of the idea. The law outlines the promotion of a civic ceremony together at the Patriarca monument, in the
Historic Center of São Paulo, during the celebrations of the Semana da Pátria, during the whole month of September, along with the republication of works by Bonifácio by the Imprensa Oficial do Estado, the creation of a week of activities specific to the school year in the state educational system, among other items. Upon her return to the
Legislative Assembly of São Paulo (Alesp) in March 2011 (she was first elected in 1986), Souza, through many proposals, brought many concerns of the Baixada Santista region to the chamber. There, she coordinated the Frentes Pró-Mobilidade Urbana da Baixada Santista and the defense of Santos as one of the host cities for the
2014 FIFA World Cup. She was also the 4th Secretary of the Board of Directors and presided over the chamber's Health Commission from March 2013 to March 2015.
Special Prosecutor's Office for Women The Special Prosecutor's Office for Women in Alesp is a internal office and is part of the chamber's structure. Souza incentivized, along with city councilors throughout the state, to create versions of the office in their municipal chambers. Versions of the office were already created in the cities of
Itanhaém,
Peruíbe,
Praia Grande,
Pindamonhangaba,
Limeira,
Araraquara,
Guarulhos,
Ibiúna, and
Osasco. The offices were carried out as important works and put women's rights as more prominent point of discussion in various cities. The result of this was better coordination of the city chambers with the needs of the female population with regards to issues affecting them.
Dia Mães de Maio As a state deputy, Souza was the author of Law nº 14.981, which created "Dia Mães de Maio" in the official calendar for the state of São Paulo. To be remembered every 12 May, the date continues the memory of the victims of those killed in São Paulo in May 2006 after confrontations between police and drug gangs, especially in the Baixada Santista. Governmental and non-governmental organizations from various parts of Brazil calculated that 450 people were killed during this time, in what became known as the "Crimes de Maio". ==References==