PALCUS Podcast Channel

Our guest today is Olivia Melo, who is the Director of City Libraries for the City of New Bedford, MA. She talks about the Casa da Saudade Branch, which is the only Portuguese public library in the United States. The library also has a Bookmobile program, in addition to books, it will deliver materials and other services to patrons who cannot visit the library, such as those who are homebound, have mobility challenges, or live in senior housing or similar residential facilities. Learn more about the library at https://www.newbedford-ma.gov/library/locations/main-library/

Today's guest is Roberto Machado, a retired high school teacher and author, who talks about his book “An Azorean in Canada: A Memoir”. The book traces his adventures and misadventures from when he was born in Ponta Delgada, São Miguel, Azores, to the moment that he emigrated and set foot in Toronto, to the present day. It deals with a variety of universal themes such as infancy, adolescence, adulthood, immigration, discrimination, resilience, adaptation and survival in a new country. Buy the book here

Today's guest is Lara dos Passos Corgin, an educator from Richmond, VA. Join us as she talks about the casas do povo in Madeira and how that is the model for the rural non-profit she is going to start in Westmoreland County, Virginia.Learn more at https://johndospassos.institute/

Today's guest is Antonio Correia who talks about Gardunhos and how this project came to be. Gardunhos is a music-literary project that consists of an experimental fusion between traditional Portuguese music and an affection for the Portuguese medieval era and medieval culture, mentality, history and aesthetics.https://gardunhos.com/https://www.goodreads.com/series/353565-contos-arrepiantes-da-hist-ria-de-portugalhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fokQqbL--do

Today we have the pleasure of speaking with returning guest Daniel Francisco, who is now mayor of Englishtown, NJ. He talks about how the election process works in the state of New Jersey.

Today we have our first guests from South Africa: Eurico, Ricardo and Micaela from YAPS. The Young Adult Portuguese Society (YAPS) is a group of young inspiring professionals and entrepreneurs in South Africa with Portuguese heritage that host various events for our communities based across South Africa. They talk about how YAPS started and what they do.Learn more at YAPS - Young Adult Portuguese Society | Community in South Africa

Today's guest is author Katherine Vaz. She talks about how she began writing and the people who supported her. She is the first Portuguese-American to have her work recorded by the Library of Congress (Hispanic Division) and teaches “Writing the Luso Experience” each summer in the Disquiet International Literary Conference in Lisboa, Portugal. She lives in New York City with her husband, Christopher Cerf, an Emmy- and Grammy-winning TV producer, composer for Sesame Street, editor, and author.https://www.katherinevaz.com/

Today's guest is Frank Ferreira, who is the Conselheiro das Comunidades Portuguesas for the Washington, DC jurisdiction. He is also Founder & CEO of FERREIRA International (Fi). He joins us today to talk about the Portuguese Elections, how it works, and what improvements are needed to make it a better process.Frank Ferreira | LinkedIn

Today's guest is Rui Pereira, Mayor of Wickenburg, AZ and Honorary Consul of Portugal in Arizona. Rui was born in Portugal and emigrated to the US with his family when he was a teenager. He talks about his path to becoming involved in politics and his role as Honorary Consul.

Today's guests Brian Martins and Derrick DeMelo are the creative forces behind The Portuguese Kids, being born and raised in Fall River, Massachusetts - a Portuguese Mecca - they use their upbringing as inspiration for their live comedy shows, hilarious musical parodies, and viral videos. Their unique brand of ethnic humor has won them legions of fans around the globe, and their videos have been viewed millions of times online.Listen in as they talk about their newest venture: Portuguese Problems, the first English language sketch comedy show on RTP. Watch the trailer: https://fb.watch/qkuoPag28z/ https://www.portuguesekids.com/

Today's guest is John dos Passos Coggin, he is the maternal grandson of renowned Portuguese-American author John Dos Passos. With his family, he curates the John Dos Passos literary estate. He is committed to preserving the Dos Passos legacy of art, writing, and human rights advocacy. He serves on the advisory board of the John Dos Passos Society.His newest project is Son of Portugal, a drama/thriller feature film set in 1964 in the United States and Portugal. Lyndon B. Johnson is President of the United States and António de Oliveira Salazar is the fascist dictator of Portugal, leading Europe's oldest dictatorship. Son of Portugal is about the Connemaras, Joe and Diana, an idealistic young couple working at the U.S. State Department. They host a 16-year-old foreign exchange student, João ("John" in Portuguese), a boy raised under Salazar's repressive regime. Joe and Diana and their two children, Dan and Moira, forge an unbreakable bond with the shy, precocious João. When the Salazar regime tortures João's pro-democracy father and then comes after João himself, the Connemaras must decide what they're willing to do in the name of family and democracy. Son of Portugal: A Feature Film Project by John Dos Passos Coggin — Kickstarter

Today's guest is Jeremiah Duarte Bills. Called a “master of his craft,” by pastry chef Johnny Iuzinni, Jeremiah Duarte Bills is a baker, a musician and an ambassador for all things Portuguese.Growing up in a dessert-obsessed family in Loomis, CA, he began baking in college as a way to connect to his Portuguese heritage. In 2016, he appeared on ABC’s The Great American Baking Show, this experience connected him to people all over the world hungry to learn about Portuguese dessert recipes.Currently, he teaches Portuguese pastry classes, gives the occasional pop up and is the cohost of the baking podcast FLOUR HOUR.https://portuguesebaking.com/

Today's guest is Elaina Vieira, Executive Director of the Carlos Vieira Foundation in Livingston, CA. Elaina talks about the work done by the Foundation and the San Joaquin Valley Portuguese Festival. This year's festival is on April 19-21, 2024.The Carlos Vieira Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that focuses on the following three campaigns: Race for Autism, Race 2B Drug-Free, and Race to End the Stigma. CVF was built on one man’s dream of helping youth within our local communities. Through local support, CVF is able to assist youth across twenty-one counties within California’s central valley.Learn more about all the wonderful things they do at https://www.carlosvieirafoundation.orgFor information on the festival visit https://www.facebook.com/sjvportuguesefestival

Today we are joined by Luisa Carreiro Powe who has been a Physician Assistant since 1990. She talks about her career path and what being a Physician Assistant entails and how speaking Portuguese helped her.https://www.linkedin.com/in/luisa-carreiro-powe-a4518282/

Our guest today is Anita Lucas, our first guest from Texas, and she is here to tell us all about the Portuguese community in Texas. She runs the Facebook group Portuguese and Proud in Texas. https://www.facebook.com/groups/186979598513771

Today we are joined by Tony Gregorio and Fatima Bettencourt from Centro Português de Nossa Senhora de Fatima in Watsonville, CA. They talk about how they got involved and what the Center is all about. https://www.facebook.com/HolyMaryWatsonville/

Today's guest is David Rodrigues from How to cook Portuguese Stuff. David was born in the USA to Portuguese parents, and he takes complicated Portuguese recipes and makes them easy for you to make at home! https://howtocookportuguesestuff.com/ https://www.facebook.com/howtocookportuguesestuff https://www.instagram.com/howtocookstuff/

Our guest today is Ron Freitas, who is the 42nd District Attorney of San Joaquin County. A career prosecutor, Ron has served the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office in a myriad of roles including the Supervising Deputy District Attorney of the Gang Violence Suppression Unit, the Chief Deputy District Attorney of the Homicide and Gang Divisions, and the Assistant District Attorney. https://www.sjgov.org/department/da/ronfreitas

Today's guest is Inês F. Oliveira, a debut author from Portugal. She discusses her first book Calvin And The Sugar Apples and the process of writing. She believes words have the power to scatter light into children’s eyes and insists on reading aloud with her children every night. https://a.co/d/bljTlD9

Today's guest is Diniz Borges from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute. PBBI strives to be the hub for cultural, literary, pedagogical, and research resources for the diverse Portuguese Diaspora in the San Joaquin Valley and the entire State. We seek to be a congregating venue for cultural events, teacher workshops, literary resources, artistic showcases, legacy archives, interdisciplinary panels, and performing arts, not only for our students, faculty, and staff but also for the enrichment of the Portuguese-American community at large. PBBI strives to build a strong working relationship with the Portuguese Diaspora in California and the Lusophone World, allowing Fresno State students the prospect of establishing connections with other cultures and experiences and expand career opportunities locally and globally. https://cah.fresnostate.edu/pbbi.html https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063535272175

Our guest today is Mike Rezendes, an investigative reporter with the global investigations team at the Associated Press. Previously, he worked for the Boston Globe Spotlight Team and shared a Pulitzer Prize for revealing the cover-up of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. Mike was also a Pulitzer Prize finalist twice, once in 2007 for an investigation of the debt collection industry, and again in 2017 for an exposé of the mental health care system in Massachusetts. In addition, Mike shared a 2014 Pulitzer awarded to the Globe for its reporting on the bombing of the Boston Marathon. Mike was running the marathon when the bombs exploded and worked into the night covering the tragedy. Mike is a co-author of two books: “Betrayal: The Crisis in the Catholic Church,” and, “Sin Against the Innocents: Sexual Abuse by Priests and the Role of the Catholic Church.” In 2015, he was played by Mark Ruffalo in the Academy Award-winning movie, "Spotlight." https://buff.ly/3Qrques

Today we are joined by Joann Malta-Weingard and Gary Resendes from the Luso-American Education Foundation (LAEF) Cultural Youth Summer Camp. The first Youth Cultural Summer Camp was held in 1998 at UC Santa Cruz. Since that time, summer camps have been held at 13 different University of California colleges, California State colleges and private colleges and universities. Hundreds of students, ages 12 to 17, have attended summer camp since 1998. Students learn about academic offerings, course selections, student housing, residential life, financial aid, scholarships, college applications and enrollment procedures. They also learn about Portugal, Portuguese language, culture, literature, arts, history, music, dance, and Portuguese food. All while living in a college dorm on campus. For more information visit https://luso-american.org/education/ or contact [email protected]

Today's guest is André Corrêa d’Almeida, Adjunct Associate Professor at Columbia University and Founder of All4Integrity. All4Integrity is the first and only organization and global network created in Portugal to advance a culture of integrity, transparency, and social justice. It quickly became an incubator of ideas, initiatives, programs, and solutions to prevent and fight corruption. Learn more about All4Integrity at https://www.all4integrity.org/

Today's Guest is Jenny "JM" Da Silva, who is Director of Quality Assurance Department at GenPsych in New Jersey. Join us as we talk about mental health in our community. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jm-dasilva/ [email protected]

Our guest today is George Reis from New York who joins us to talk about Agostinho da Silva, who was a Portuguese philosopher, essayist, and writer. His thought combines elements of pantheism and millenarism, an ethic of renunciation (like in Buddhism or Franciscanism), and a belief in freedom as the most important feature of man. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Os_Grandes_Portugueses https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agostinho_da_Silva https://www.facebook.com/AssociacaoAgostinhodaSilva

Today's guest is Chris Corgas, Deputy Director of the Community Economic Development Division of the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development. His focus is on strengthening San Francisco’s business corridors, mixed-use neighborhoods, public spaces, and commercial centers through customizable strategies and programs. Chris is also involved in PALCUS as a member of the Public Affairs Committee. https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriscorgas/

Our guest today is Ramana Vieira, a fado singer from Northern California. Listen in as she talks about her start in musical theater and then migrating to fado. Vieira’s work captures traditional Fado and influences from the Portuguese diaspora in a musical tapestry that ranges from the whispering, haunting ballads of Fado, to American classics and jazzy blues. https://ramanavieira.net/ https://www.youtube.com/c/RamanaVieira

Jennifer Mendes Dwyer is Deputy Executive Director of Progressive Maryland and she also holds an elected position on the Democratic Central Committe of Baltimore County. She talks about how she got involved and the importance her Portuguese heritage had in this decision. https://www.progressivemaryland.org/theteam

Today's guest is Marco Fernandes, from Sagres Vacations in Fall River, MA. Marco is a PALCUS Director and talks about his experience growing up in the Portuguese Community and how that experience is different today. https://www.sagresvacations.com/

Today's guest is Daniel Francisco, a self-proclaimed activist. Daniel is a councilman and is now running unopposed for mayor of Englishtown, NJ. He is also the president of the non-profit Blue Star Union. https://twitter.com/DFrancisco7 https://www.bluestarunion.com

Today's guest is Lino Amaral, who is very involved with the Portuguese community, talking about the San Pablo Hall and their unique situation. https://www.facebook.com/sphga

Massachusetts State Senator Jake Oliveira is a fourth-generation Ludlow resident. He is the great-grandson of immigrants from Portugal and Poland. Active in his community for nearly two decades, Jake was elected as a Ludlow precinct member at 18 and to the Ludlow School Committee at 22, where he served for 12 years. Through his work on the school committee, Jake was elected as the youngest President of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees in 2016. Before being elected in 2022, Senator Oliveira served as the State Representative for the 7th Hampden District from his hometown in Ludlow. https://malegislature.gov/Legislators/Profile/JRO0

Today's guest is Zachery Ramos, who is the President & Creator of the Traveling Library and is currently on the Gustine School Board. He also ran for Mayor of the small town of Gustine in California at the age of 19. Zachery was the recipient of the 2019 PALCUS Young Portuguese-American “Promessa” Award. https://www.facebook.com/TrVeLiNgLiBrArY/

Today's guest is Andre Martins, Founder and Creative Director of Post Armada. Post Armada is a full sail creative, video production and post-production agency in Washington D.C. He talks about his involvement in political campaigns through his business. Learn more about Post Armada at https://postarmada.com/

Patrick Pihana Branco was the State Representative for Hawaiʻi House District 50 (Kailua and Kāne‘ohe Bay) from 2020 to 2022. He was born and raised in Kailua, and spent his summers at his great-great grandfather’s small farm in Kurtistown on Hawaiʻi island. Branco served as a U.S. diplomat for seven years including assignments in Pakistan, Colombia and Venezuela. Domestically, he worked in the Office of the Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan and the Secretary of State's Operations Center. Listen in as he talks about how and why he got involved in public service. This podcast was recorded while Patrick Branco was in office.

Judge Michèle Patrão Forsythe is a family court judge for the Ninth Judicial Circuit in South Carolina. Judge Forsythe was elected to the court by the South Carolina General Assembly in 2016 and was re-elected in 2022. Michèle is a first-generation American, fluent in Spanish and Portuguese. She also studied French. Born in New Jersey and raised in Washington, D.C., Judge Forsythe graduated from college, traveled abroad, and worked for the United States Government, ultimately attending law school. Presently, Judge Forsythe is working to provide access to justice for children who are involved in delinquency cases and abuse and neglect cases.

Join us as we speak to Maria Azevedo and Ryan Ostorero about Toastmaster International and the Portuguese Bilingual Group. Toastmasters International is a world leader in communication and leadership development, with more than 364,000 members in over 16,200 clubs in 145 countries. Whether you are a professional, student, stay-at-home parent or retired, Toastmasters is the most efficient, enjoyable and affordable way of gaining great communication skills. https://www.toastmasters.org/ For questions contact Maria ([email protected]) or Ryan ([email protected])

Join us as former PALCUS directors Daniel da Ponte from RI and Jack De Oliveira from CT discuss the previous RI Bill to remove “Portuguese” as Minority Business category, and learn what PALCUS has done to try to prevent this from happening. https://rinewstoday.com/rep-anastasia-williams-tries-again-to-remove-portuguese-as-minority-owned-business-category/

Luis Gonçalves is the Director of the Portuguese School, of the Middlebury Language Schools, which features a seven-week summer immersion program, offering beginner through advanced-level Portuguese languages courses. Established in 2003, the Portuguese School is one of 13 Middlebury Language Schools network, located on the campus of Bennington College in Vermont. Learn more about the school at https://www.middlebury.edu/language-schools/languages/portuguese Contact Luis at [email protected]

Tudo Português Podcast: Today's guest is Paulo Silva, Chief Risk Officer at Greenwood Credit Union in Warwick, RI. He talks about different ways to show Portuguese pride and spread the word about the Portuguese community.

Today we speak to Leslie Vicente, Executive Director of the Discovery Language Academy in New Bedford, MA. Discovery Language Academy provides innovative opportunities for language acquisition and application to learners of all ages and backgrounds so that they may progress towards their educational, vocational, and personal goals. https://www.discoverylanguageacademy.org/ https://www.facebook.com/discoverylanguageacademy.org/

Today's guest is Grace Moreira, from the Magic Valley Portuguese Hall in Wendell, Idaho. Did you know there is an active Portuguese Community in Idaho? The Hall strives to bring the Portuguese community together to celebrate the traditions. https://www.facebook.com/MVPH.Idaho/

Today's guests are Monica Sousa and Joe D'Alessandro from the Freeport/Clarksburg Festa, held annually 8 weeks after Easter Sunday at the I.D.E.S. Portuguese Hall, Clarksburg, CA. Learn more about the Festa at https://www.facebook.com/FreeportFesta/

Today's guest is Sofia Almeida from New York. Sofia is a part of the Portuguese community in Queens, NY where she spends time volunteering whether it be to help organize events for the children and the community or assisting in the Portuguese school. Sofia has pioneered the NY Portuguese Pop-Up events for small businesses across New York State with the help of many amazing leaders from each Portuguese cultural center. During a majority of her day, she is a bilingual speech-language pathologist in a school in Queens, NY, where she is certified to provide services in Portuguese and Spanish.

Today's guest is Ana Sofia Paulo Guerreiro from Alzuleycha. ALZULEYCHA was was founded in 2015 and honors and praises the long and rich Portuguese architecture heritage, perpetuating the architectural and design details in decoration pieces. ALZULEYCHA makes inspirational decoration accessories with a soul. Learn more about Alzuleycha at https://www.alzuleycha.com/

Our first guest is Diogo Martins from Saudade Theater. Diogo is an actor, writer and producer born and raised in Lisbon, Portugal, currently based in New York. Saudade Theatre is the first and only theatre company in the United States dedicated to producing original and thought-provoking work grounded in the Portuguese-American consciousness. Learn more about the theater at: https://www.saudadetheatre.org/

Today's guest is Leandra Furtado Rivera, Development Coordinator at Seed Global Health. Read her article in the Portuguese Tribune https://www.portuguesetribune.com/articles/legacy-of-resiliency/ Leandra has spent most of her professional career working in higher education development, most recently as a coordinator for the Alumni Affairs and Development office at Harvard University. Leandra is passionate about her Azorean heritage and was selected as a 2022 NextGen Fellow by the Portuguese-American Leadership Council of the United States, an organization which advocates for the interests of Portuguese-Americans in the United States.

Today's guest is Dr. Maria Inês Romba, Head of Development at Universidade Católica Portuguesa. Learn more about Catolica at: https://www.ucp.pt PALCUS has a partnership with Católica University in Portugal, where one of their Fellowships will be reserved for a PALCUS Member. The Fellowship covers an entire degree, either undergraduate or graduate, not just one year or one semester. This is an incredible opportunity for our youth and we are proud to collaborate with such a prestigious university.

Today’s guest is Mariana Brazão. Mariana Brazão was born in Lisbon, Portugal, and moved to the United States with her parents when she was nine months old. Mariana is a 2019-2020 Fulbright U.S. Student Program Research Grant recipient to Brazil. She has curated the online exhibit Representation with a Hyphen: Latinas in the Fight for Women’s Suffrage at the National Women’s History Museum, and The Indigenous Benches of Brazil virtual exhibit at the Fralin Museum of Art at the University of Virginia, in collaboration with Coleção BEI. Mariana is now also a PALCUS Director.

This week’s guest is Michael da Silva. Michael was born and raised in Toronto, Canada. After graduation, Michael worked for the Bank of Montreal in the Portuguese community in Toronto. After completing his MBA at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX, Michael now works in corporate finance for a major biotech company in the San Francisco Bay Area.