The Portuguese-American Leadership Council of the United States
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LUS US Newsletter
New Edition of LUSUS to Highlight Portuguese Culture

Part of PALCUS' mission is to promote the Portuguese culture and those who are helping to keep it alive. We welcome input from anyone on people or groups to feature, as well as additional categories to include. 
FOLKLORE
Featured Folklore Group Trainer - Manuel Carlos

"The Portuguese Club of Mineola was founded in the late 1920s. Today the club is not only a place for the community to gather but is also where the younger generation learns about Portuguese culture. The Club's two dance groups or Ranchos Folclóricos are now in their seventeenth year. Nearly fifty children, ages four to thirteen, participate in Sonhos and twenty-four older dancers perform with Juventude.

Manuel (Manny) Carlos, head teacher or ensaidor, began his dance career at Mineola High School 24 years ago after immigrating to this country from a small town near Braga, Portugal. In 1985, he formed the current group at the Portuguese Center with his brother David Fernandes and close friend Domingos Cunha. Manny is now assisted by Antonio (Tony) Da Silva, a first generation Portuguese American and Mineola native who joined Rancho Juventude in 1989."
For more information visit the website:  http://www.longislandtraditions.org/artistprofiles/ethnic/rancho.html 

TRADITIONS/CUSTOMS
Traditions / Customs - Holy Ghost Portuguese Society

"Holy Ghost Portuguese Society Inc is located at the address 59 Fitzgerald Dr in East Hartford, Connecticut 06118. They can be contacted via phone at (860) 568-5040 for pricing, hours and directions."

For more information visit: 


During Memorial Day weekend, they hold an annual two-day festival on the grounds of Our Lady of Fatima Church in Hartford, CT to celebrate the Holy Spirit. There are religious ceremonies, music, food, as well as a Sunday morning procession around the block after mass.

For more information on Our Lady of Fatima Church in Hartford, CT, visit: https://www.facebook.com/olfchurchcentenario/

FADO
Featured Fado Singer - 
Ramana Vieira

"Journey to the world of Portuguese Fado as interpreted by Ramana Vieira, a northern California native of Portuguese descent. Vieira's parents immigrated to the United States from Portugal, where her grandfather was a well-known musician and composer from Madeira Island.
 
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.  She also is a proficient pianist and a gifted songwriter having penned and composed her own original Fados, of which several have been nominated at the International Portuguese Music Awards."
For more information visit her website and watch videos of her performances using the link: http://ramanavieira.net/home.html 

ART
Joao de Brito
Featured Artist - João de Brito 

"João de Brito was born in Portugal, he lived in New England and currently lives in Northern California, 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."
 
For more information about João de Brito as well as access to work he plans to sell, visit the website:
http://joaodebrito.com/
CULINARY
Featured Chef - 
Michael Casalinho

"Michael Casalinho, was born in Newark, the son of Portuguese immigrants. Growing up, his first jobs were in the Portuguese restaurants of the Ironbound. During high school, he bused tables at Sol Mar, one of the best-known places in the Ironbound, and later rose to server there. He often lamented that American restaurants lacked what he calls "the intimate, quaint, handmade feel of the neighborhood taverns" he knew from his family's frequent trips to Portugal."

He is the owner of Broa Café, located in New Jersey. "Casalinho's recreation of Portugal is nearly molecular; the tile, the plates, the olive oil, the salt, the patchwork bread bag made by his grandmother, even the seafood he picks up at the airport-it all comes from Portugal."

For more information, visit: https://njmonthly.com/articles/restaurant-reviews/broa-cafe/ to view the article written by Michael Aharon.

Furthermore, an article regarding the opening of his new restaurant Eira, located in New Jersey, was posted on August 28, 2019, by Caren Lissner. A link to an Instagram page allowing individuals to recommend certain Portuguese cuisines that the restaurant could create is provided on the website: https://jerseydigs.com/cafe-eira-opening-soon-24-mercer-street-downtown-jersey-city/

ARCHITECTURE
Featured Architect -
William Pereira

"Winner of the 1942 Acadamy Award for Best Special Effects, William Pereira (April 25, 1909 - November 13, 1985) also designed some of America's most iconic examples of futurist architecture, with his heavy stripped down functionalism becoming the symbol of many US institutions and cities.

Born to Portuguese immigrants in Chicago, Pereira graduated from the University of Illinois and rapidly established himself as a prominent figure, designing a few notable Art Deco buildings and helping to draft the masterplan for the 1933 Chicago World's Fair. Moving to Los Angles and becoming involved in the film industry with his brother Hal in 1930, it wasn't until his partnership with Charles Luckman in the 1950s that his distinctive style of heavy masses with stripped down detailing emerged, becoming increasingly radical as his career progressed."

For more information about William Pereira, visit this website, where you can see images of his work: https://www.archdaily.com/623739/spotlight-william-pereira

Also, another website containing more information is:
https://www.laconservancy.org/architects/william-pereira
DESIGN
Featured Designer - 
Ana Romero Monteiro
 

"Portuguese designer Ana Romero Monteiro, 32, has established herself as a textile designer in New York City. She is the creator of the Ana Romero Lifestyle Brand, her own brand of a selection of Home and Lifestyle Accessories.

Launched in 2012, at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York (ICFF), her creations have been featured in the movie "Finally Famous" and on several television series in the United States such as "Gossip Girl.""


Or

Like her page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ana.r.monteiro.5

FASHION
Featured Fashionista - Della Pereira

Della Pereira states: "My first love and passion was fashion. It was always a dream of mine to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology, live in NYC and work in the fashion Industry. I'm so proud that I was able to live those dreams for 7+ years."

Her company Della Details LLC will "collaboratively work with you to design and create an event that best fits your needs. We welcome and encourage our clients to share any creative ideas that go beyond our packages and menu items. Your experience means everything to us and we make every effort to provide you with personalized service."
 
For more information, pictures of her work or to contact her, visit: https://www.delladetails.com/

LITERATURE
Featured Author - 
John Roderigo Dos Passos


"John Roderigo Dos Passos (b.1896, d.1970) was a writer, painter, and political activist. He wrote over forty books, including plays, poetry, novels, biographies, histories, and memoirs. He crafted over four hundred drawings, watercolors, and other artworks.

Dos Passos considered himself foremost a writer of contemporary chronicles. He chose the moniker of "chronicler" because he was happiest working at the edge of fiction and nonfiction."
 
For more information about John Dos Passos and to see some of his work visit the website: http://www.johndospassos.com/

VITICULTURE
Featured Winemaker - José Morais

"'We dream it. We grow it. We create it. We respect those who have come before us and in their spirit we progress. We experiment and push the boundaries of tradition. We are family. We love what we do. We create a world class experience in a style recognized as our own.'"

 

"'To own and operate a winery has been a lifelong dream of mine. Keeping the traditions of wine making alive and passing my Portuguese heritage to my children and grandchildren brings me great joy. It is the sense of family and tradition that I would like to pass on to all of you.'" ~ José Morais

 

The link to the website for Morais Vineyards and Winery, located in Bealeton, Virginia, owned by José Morais, is: https://moraisvineyards.com/

 

A video regarding Morais Vineyards and Winery in Portuguese can be found using the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11HPxUR1gkU


SCIENCE
Featured Scientist - Mário Silva

"Mário Silva is a supervisor for the laboratory clinic responsible for tests detecting COVID-19 in Northwell Health Imaging at North Fork located in New York."

An article was written by Henrique Mano about him in Portuguese.

Like https://www.facebook.com/henriquemanonewyork/ on Facebook and look for "DOIS IRMÃOS DE LONG ISLAND NO COMBATE À COVID-19"
 
FILM
Featured Actor - Diogo Morgado

"While his acting debut was at the age of 15, Diogo Morgado later became known internationally for his groundbreaking portrayal of "Jesus" in 20th Century Fox's feature film "Son of God" and in The History Channel's highly rated, Emmy nominated miniseries "The Bible." Morgado's recent work includes the lead role in the Netflix original feature film "The Killer," which was streamed in over 190 countries. On television, Diogo had a recurring role on CBS' "CSI: Cyber," alongside Academy Award winning actress Patricia Arquette, and starred in the TV movie, "Love Finds You In Valentine." Morgado was also a lead on the CW Network series "The Messengers." In addition to his work in television, Diogo has had leading roles in independent films in the U.S., including the action-driven adrenaline film "Born to Race: Fast Track," and the gritty urban drama "Red Butterfly.""

Diogo Margado represents Portuguese culture in the sense that he played Jesus Christ in the movie "Son of God." He was representing a figure important to Portuguese religion as many practice Catholicism.

For more information, visit: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0604430/bio

Like him on Facebook:  
https://www.facebook.com/On.DiogoMorgado/

MUSICAL TALENT
Featured Musician - Katy Perry

"American pop singer Katy Perry initially attempted to break into the music business with a gospel album. Her image radically changed by the time of her 2008 smash single "I Kissed a Girl," from One of the Boys, and she went on to top the charts with the follow-up albums Teenage Dream, Prism and Witness. Perry is also known for her performance during the 2015 Super Bowl halftime show, her marriage to comedian Russell Brand and her selection as a judge for American Idol."

For more information about the artist, visit the website: https://www.biography.com/musician/katy-perry 

Furthermore, Katy Perry has her own website containing her music, pictures and much more: https://www.katyperry.com/ 


If you would like to feature your artwork or written works in this newsletter, please send your bio, images and other information to palcus@palcus.org
JOIN PALCUS
Are you a PALCUS member yet?  
We are stronger together!

I f you agree with the work undertaken by PALCUS to build the social, cultural and political capital of our community, then please join us and become a member today!

Strong membership participation means a stronger voice in the national Portuguese-American agenda. In order to advance Portuguese language education, increase presence in the congressional caucuses, and provide economic opportunities, the collective voice of thousands is needed!  

In addition, PALCUS is a member-driven non-profit organization that depends on membership dues and fundraising events to fund its operations.  Members of the all-volunteer board of directors donate their time and personal funds for travel, lodging and tickets to attend networking events and planning sessions so our administrative costs are relatively low but nonetheless critical to doing business on a daily basis.

There are membership categories to suit every budget and level of interest.  Please click on our membership webpage and join our voice today!


 Questions? Contact Graci for more information! 


Did you enjoy this newsletter? Do you know about all the programs PALCUS offers our community? Please visit our website and become a member today! 
We can't do what we do without your support!

Newsletter Archive

Read past issues of the LUSUS Newsletter at http://www.palcus.org/#!lusus-newsletter/cbac 

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Jobs for Portuguese Speakers
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.

Contact Information

Website:  www.palcus.org
Phone: 202-466-4664

9255 Center St., Suite 404
Manassas, VA 20110
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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 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 advances 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 under the IRS tax code and  incorporated under the laws of the District of Columbia.  Donations are tax deductible to extent allowed by law and will be acknowledged.

PALCUS has earned the 2019 Gold GuideStarUSA Nonprofit Profile Seal of Transparency. Visit our profile HERE
Portuguese-American Leadership Council of the United States, Inc.
9255 Center Street, Ste. 404, Manassas, VA 20110
Email: palcus@palcus.org   PH: 202-466-4664   Web: www.palcus.org
EIN: 52-1739459
Copyright © 2019, PALCUS. All Rights Reserved.