Working Today for Our Community's Tomorrow
The Portuguese-American Leadership Council of the United States
Established 1991
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LUSUS
The Online Newsletter of PALCUS
August 2013 |
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Announcing the 2013 PALCUS Scholarship Winners!
In 2012, PALCUS presented its first national scholarship award at the annual Leadership Awards Gala in New Jersey. Thanks to the Rosa Family Scholarship Fund and a community fundraising effort, PALCUS is able to award two $1,000 scholarships in 2013 to deserving Portuguese-American students. Following an active application process of many outstanding candidates, PALCUS is pleased to announce the 2013 scholarship winners:
Julianna Sumida is a graduate student at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in the Master of Arts degree program in musicology. Of both Portuguese and Brazilian descent, Ms. Sumida's research interest is Lusophone ethnomusicology in general and the Portuguese art song, including the modinha, in particular. Not only a performing vocalist and a 4.0 GPA scholar, Ms. Sumida volunteers her time as a parish choir director, is a wife and mother to a six-year old son.
Sydney Fultz is a sophomore studying animal science at California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo. A Portuguese descendant from an agricultural family, Ms. Fultz is an aspiring large animal veterinarian. She is well on her way as she has already secured a place at the University of Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine. A Dean's List student, she volunteers fifty hours per month for a variety of veterinary projects. Congratulations to the 2013 scholarship winners! Best wishes for continued success! |
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2013 Gala Activity Highlight - Cabrillo Monument Tour & Lunch
Plans are underway for the 17th Annual Leadership Awards Gala in the beautiful city of San Diego! PALCUS is looking forward to welcoming the Portuguese American community of California as well as those throughout the United States in celebrating 22 years of service.
We have added a fun activity to our weekend program - a tour of the Cabrillo National Monument, tour of the San Salvador building site - Martime Museum and lunch at Roseville Cozinha, San Diego's local Portuguese restaurant. The tour and lunch will take place on Saturday morning, before the Gala.
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PALCUS Directors attend Radio Voz do Emigrante Roundtable
 PALCUS Chairman Fernando Rosa and Directors Marie Fraley, Odete Amarelo and Onésimo Almeida participated at the annual roundtable broadcast hosted by Frank Baptista. The event attracts notable personalities from the southern New England area to discuss issues of importance to the Luso-American communities of Portugal, Brazil and Cape Verde. Topics ranged from politics to education to economics in a lively and entertaining interchange between the guests.
PALCUS would like to congratulate Frank Baptista for 25 years of outstanding broadcast service to the Portuguese-speaking community of southeastern New England and now streaming live via internet throughout the world at www.radiovozdoemigrante.com. PALCUS wishes our friend and colleague much continued success in the future.
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Interview with New PACP Coordinator, Steven Nascimento
 The Portuguese American Citizenship Project (PACP) recently named a new coordinator, Steven Nascimento from Turlock, CA. Steven brings a vibrant, young spirit to the Project, which he shared with us during the following interview.What do you hope to accomplish in you new position? It is my goal, and the goal of the PACP, to increase the level of participation of Portuguese-Americans in the electoral process. In doing so, we hope to establish the Portuguese-American community as one that must be considered by those seeking elected office. If there is one thing you'd like every person in the Portuguese community to know, what would it be? Your vote is your voice, and every Portuguese-American who votes helps the community raise its voice to a point where it cannot be ignored. The PACP is a great resource for anyone trying to organize their community politically, and we are happy to lend our expertise to those who are interested. What made you want to pursue a career in public service? I have always felt compelled to give back to my community, and I enjoy finding solutions to problems. It seemed like a natural fit, and I am finding my work very rewarding. Read the full press release on Steven's appointment here.
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PALCUS "FYI" Webinar Series
To date, PALCUS has hosted seven webinars on various topics such as immigration, teaching the Portuguese language, study abroad programs and other programs and resources available to the community. Feedback from our members so far has been very positive, and we look forward to hosting many more on topics that are of interest to the community-at-large. Recordings of all webinars can be found on our YouTube channel, as well as our website.
Our most recent webinar highlighted the great work done by the Portuguese Heritage Publications of California (PHPC). Future webinars will feature the services provided by Portuguese Consulates and the Portuguese American Citizenship Project.
Publishing these webinars is part of our mission to serve as a resource for the Portuguese community. If you would like to participate in a webinar as a presenter, have a suggestion for a future topic, or would like to sponsor a webinar please contact us at palcus@palcus.org.
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Culture: August Featured Artist and Author of the Month
Read more about the artist and author below, as well as other Portuguese artists and authors by visiting two websites hosted by PALCUS to highlight the talents and works of Portuguese artists and authors.
Red Roof Studios Art Gallery
PortugueseAuthors.com
Featured Artist - Joao de Brito
Recipient of the 2013 PALCUS Leadership Award for Artistic Achievement
João de Brito was born in a small town on the Island of São Miguel in the archipelago of the Azores, Portugal and as a young man immigrated with his family to the East Coast of the United States. In 1978, the artist settled in California's Monterey Peninsula where he shares his talents with the local community as well as international art enthusiasts. Though he admits to often 'swimming against the current,' his painting philosophy is to awaken hope, invoke a sense of well-being and share colors of life. He has travelled extensively throughout California, the U.S., Canada, Central America, Asia, Pacific Islands and Europe to paint in oils en plein aire. From early age, he has observed and study art and life, he has passion for expressing himself using impressionist/figurative views on canvas.
Though de Brito sculpts and works in ceramic, he favors painting and incorporates his Portuguese roots along with influences of great French fauvists and California impressionists. In 2005, de Brito traveled from city to city to paint with Mauri artists and exhibit at Pyromania Gallery in Tauranga Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, and he has been a guest of the Portuguese government who engaged de Brito to paint images of the country for their cultural collection and art publication.
De Brito has become well-known for his use of vibrant colors that elicit light, life, energy and interpretive landscapes. Having unleashed a fresh creativity - inspired by memories of his homeland, scenes from the East and West Coast, and his many travels abroad - de Brito's oils stimulate the sense of sight to produce emotion and thought. As a result, de Brito's works appear in galleries, museums, businesses, government agencies and affluent homes around the world.
In the past, de Brito toured California and Europe with artist Mark Geller to paint coastal and inland scenes. He has completed a Master's Class with David Leffel and took several art courses at Cabrillo College. In addition, de Brito spent three years as an understudy to California's William B. Hannum, a highly regarded best-selling artist of Carmel's Artist Association and continues to learn from his good friends Mel Ramos a great pop figure artist and the late master painter and print maker Nathan Oliveira who was part of the original Bay Area Figurative artist movement of California.
Currently, de Brito's works can be found at Monique Arnon Fine Art in San Francisco, California , Kate Nolan Gallery in Santa Cruz, California, Thanassi Gallery in Provincetown, Massachusetts, The Foundry Gallery in Berkeley, California, Woodside Gallery in Woodside California and at Hauk Fine Arts in Pacific Grove, California. Along the way, he has been the featured artist, involved in many group exhibits and several one-man shows. De Brito is also a member of the Santa Cruz Art League, Provincetown Art Association and The Beachcombers Club, a private arts and letters association based in Provincetown, MA.
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Featured Author - Carlo Matos
 Carlo Matos has published poems in 5x5, kill author, The Houston Literary Review, Radiant Turnstile, DIAGRAM, The Mad Hatters' Review, and narrative (dis)continuities, among others. He is the author of a previous collection of poems entitled, A School for Fishermen (BrickHouse Books). His first book of scholarship, Ibsen's Foreign Contagion, is forthcoming in 2012 from Academica Press. He teaches writing at the City Colleges of Chicago by day and competes in MMA by night. On his off hours he can be found entertaining clients at the Chicago Poetry Brothel.
Published Works
Big Bad Asterisk* - Purchase on Amazon
Counting Sheep Til Doomsday - Purchase on Amazon
A School For Fishermen - Purchase on Amazon
If you would like to feature your artwork or written works on these sites, please send your bio, images and other information to palcus@palcus.org. |
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In Memoriam - Mary Alice Rosa Gonsalves
On July 25, 2013, the Portuguese community lost one of its most dedicated leaders. Mary Alice Gonsalves of San Diego, California, lost her 20+ year battle with cancer. PALCUS was honored to present Mary Alice with a Leadership Award in 2008, and her legacy will be remembered for generations to come.
From early childhood, Mary Alice, was aware of her Portuguese heritage. Her first language was Portuguese. Her mother, Maria and father, Jose Garcia da Rosa, were immigrants from Pico, Acores. They settled in San Diego, California. Her father and his brothers were successful pioneers in the tuna industry, building up a fleet of vessels. Many were the Festas sponsored by the Rosa family.
Mary Alice graduated from California Western University with a degree in Economics and a minor in Business Administration. She attended the University of San Diego School of Law. She left law school to travel to Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and finally Brazil. In the Middle East, she spent a month with college friends in Iran. This travel changed her life and the direction of her career.
Upon her return, Mary Alice, became an independent travel agent with a substantial base of clients, among them members of San Diego's Portuguese Community. Of particular significance, was the international tuna industry, of which San Diego had become the virtual worldwide capital. Crews had to be moved on short notice around the world, involving complicated fares, regulations and special clearances. This proved to be a school for success. ln 1971, Mary Alice and her brother, Jose (Joe) Garcia da Rosa (a Founder and Original Board of Director of PALCUS) purchased a one year old agency, Balboa Travel. As children of immigrants, they went to work with a vengeance. Today Balboa Travel is considered one of the top travel management companies in the country, with annual sales of One Hundred Million. In 2001, Balboa Travel was honored by the Portuguese Chamber of Commerce as the largest travel management company in the United States with owners of Portuguese descent.
Mary Alice served on the board of various community organizations, was a Founder of Alianca Acoreana. After serving as Director of the United Portuguese SES of San Diego, she was the first woman elected President in nearly 77 years. This left the "Old Guard", shouting, "E' uma mulher"! Under her Presidency, the modernization and renovation of the facilities were undertaken, against the wishes of the "Old Guard" who wanted the Status Quo. She was very proud of her accomplishments while President of the Board.
Mary Alice and her late husband Avelino (Avey) Gonsalves, an Entrepreneur in the international fishing industry, chaired the Espirito Santo Festa in 1988, a year long project. Tony Coelho, their friend and Minority Congressional Whip at that time, participated and was honored. Mary Alice and Avey chaired the Festa Santo Amaro Madeirense in San Diego. They supported the community in various ways, focusing on the youth who proudly carry forward the Portuguese-American torch. Their philanthropy reached out to the Oakland Boys Club and the Monarch School of San Diego, a learning center and safe haven for 600 students affected by homelessness.
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PALCUS Thanks Supporters
PALCUS gratefully acknowledges the support of those who assist us in serving the Portuguese American community:
J B Fernandes Memorial Trust
Thank you to Donzelina Barroso for facilitating the 2013 grant supporting the PALCUS internship program.
Marie and David Fraley
In appreciation for your gift in support of PALCUS' technology and website
Espirito Santo Investment Bank
Thank you to António Gato for facilitating the 2013 Leadership Awards Gala Sponsorship
HEDCO, Inc.
Thank you to Fernando G. Rosa for facilitating the 2013 Leadership Awards Gala Sponsorship
Merrill Lynch
Thank you to Marc Rosa for facilitating the grant for the PALCUS National Scholarship Program
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In our ongoing effort to be more efficient and cut costs, as of this writing, all communications from PALCUS will be digital only unless otherwise requested by members. Everything from dues invoices, invitations, organizational updates, receipts - everything will be posted online or sent via email. If you would like any of these communications sent to you in hard copy via U.S. mail, please email your request to Elisabete Martins, Administrative Assistant at palcus@palcus.org, mail your request to PALCUS, 9255 Center St., Suite 404, Manassas, VA 20110 or call us at (202) 466-4664. To be sure that you are receiving all notifications and information electronically, please sign up for the PALCUS mailing list on our home page at www.palcus.org.
Thank you for helping us to go green!
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PALCUS would like to have you as a member!
Membership in PALCUS strengthens our national voice and provides opportunities for Portuguese-Americans. Please join, renew or upgrade your membership to the next level today!
Please register and send your contribution via our website: http://palcus.org/join OR
Mail a check payable to PALCUS, 9255 Center St., Suite 404, Manassas, VA 20110
Questions? Contact us via email: palcus@palcus.org or phone: (202) 466-4664.
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Newsletter Archives
Read past issues of the LUSUS Newsletter at http://palcus.org/community/news-events |
Jobs for Portuguese Speakers
If you want to put your Portuguese language skills to use in your next job, there are many opportunities out there! Visit the Jobs for Portuguese Speakers Facebook page to see some job openings.
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Contact Information
Email: palcus@palcus.org
Website: www.palcus.org
Phone: 202-466-4664
9255 Center St., Suite 404
Manassas, VA 20110
Follow PALCUS on Facebook, LinkedIn, YahooGroups and Twitter!
For daily news and infomation on events and all things Portuguese, subscribe to Angela's List on YahooGroups, officially sponsored by PALCUS.
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PALCUS Mission
In order to create a singular voice to advocate for the Portuguese
American and Luso-American communities at large, the Portuguese American
Leadership Council of the United States Inc. (PALCUS) was founded in 1991
as a 501 © 3 non partisan, non profit, organization headquartered in Washington
D.C.
The PALCUS mission is to address domestic and international concerns of
the Portuguese American Community.
The Council conducts an expanding program of educational and public affairs
activities on issues of interest to the Portuguese American community and of
salience to the Luso-American Relationship.
PALCUS is committed to serving the community through increasingly active
government relations efforts, the promotion of a greater awareness of ethnic
accomplishments and encouraging stronger ties between Portugal and the United
States. In this role PALCUS advance the community professionally, politically
and culturally while working to ensure that issues directly affecting our
community are addressed through our network of government and community
leaders.
PALCUS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization incorporated under the laws of
the District of Columbia. Donations are tax
deductible to extent allowed by law.
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There is a movement in California to establish Portuguese Heritage Nights at some professional sporting events. On July 27th, The San Jose Earthquakes hosted 
There is also an effort underway to establish a Portuguese Heritage Night with the San Francisco Giants. With the help of The Honorable Nuno Mathias, Consul General of Portugal in San Francisco, initial meetings have been held with the Giants and they are open and excited about the prospect of adding another heritage night to their line up of special events. A 