Manuela M. Freitas

2011 President's Message

My father emigrated from Pinhal, Obidos, Portugal in February of 1966 leaving behind his wife and infant daughter to start a new life in Hartford, CT.  My mother would later join him in June of 1966. My mother boarded the TWA flight from Lisbon to  Kennedy Airport, alone with a rambunctious 10 month old infant, never having flown and not knowing a word of English. To this day, she often reminds me that it was one of the most terrifying experiences of her lifetime. Her apprehension quickly vanished. She was seated beside a kind young Portuguese priest who calmed her fears and comforted her crying and fussy baby. The priest held the baby in his lap and talked about his Portuguese community; and that he too was traveling to Hartford, CT. As it turned out this young priest knew my father and the Simao family. He was Father Jose Silva, and the infant was none other than me.

My ties and commitment to the Portuguese community in Hartford are deeply rooted, and began from my infancy. I have been blessed with a wonderful and large family who are an integral part of my daily life. My family held tight to their traditions and culture while passing it along to their children and I, in turn, have done the same.  More importantly, our Portuguese traditions and culture were nourished by our family and firmly planted within the larger Portuguese community of Hartford. I truly believe that having been raised in this community with strong cultural traditions has given me the skills and drive necessary to balance the dichotomy of the American and Portuguese Cultures, while setting high standards and goals for myself. As a young woman, my parents always told me "faz o melhor para ti" – do the best you can for yourself. They never pushed me, but always supported me emotionally and financially and gave me the confidence to pursue whatever I wanted to do.

I am honored to be the first woman elected as President of the Portuguese Foundation, Inc. It is a role that I embrace with pride and some trepidation. As an organization we are experiencing great financial challenges raising capital during these difficult economic times, while also having the challenge of inspiring individuals to volunteer their time and participate. Unfortunately, the two go hand in hand. People are less likely to donate their time and be active in organizations when the economy is unstable, because the focus now becomes preserving and maintaining their livelihood. I believe this challenge is even more difficult for professional women who want to work and raise a family. Often there just isn't enough time in the day to get everything done, especially the extra time for volunteering, no matter how worthy a cause. Yet, most women have mastered the art of "multi-tasking," and I believe they can greatly benefit from having an outside source of involvement that gives them a sense of accomplishment, fulfillment, and pride, aside from their work and family.

On that note, I want to encourage and compel the young professional women of our communities to become leaders, strive for excellence with every opportunity presented and by taking on a greater role within their Portuguese community and the Portuguese Foundation. Often times, we as women, face gender and stereotypical taboos that say we cannot have it all - the career and the family - and that we must sacrifice one or the other. I believe you can have it all. Balance and prioritization is the key. Also, for me, having faith, family support, and a strong belief in who I am and where I came from, has given me the confidence to be who I am today. I am a Portuguese American Woman who works as many hours as are needed to get the job done; be it as an officer and volunteer to a non-profit, or at work as a Civil Litigation Attorney, or at home as a mother and wife, who enjoys some of the more traditional female roles of Portuguese cooking and keeping an organized and clean home. Okay, for those who know me, I admit that I am obsessive compulsive when it comes to the house. However, I would prefer to say that it is a Portuguese tradition which has been gifted to me by my own strong and loving mother.

Over the last twenty years, the Portuguese Foundation has consistently awarded more scholarships to young women than men. This has never been the group's intent, but rather there have always been more female applicants throughout the years then male. My unofficial estimate seems to indicate a four to one ratio. We recognize the challenges that await our scholarship recipients; financing their pursuit of higher education, earning a livelihood and balancing future family obligations. It is our desire to ease some of their financial burden by awarding these scholarships.

This year's award recipients have significant ties to the Portuguese community and have volunteered their time to various civic and religious organizations. They are our future generation of Portuguese professionals. We honor and congratulate them today for their outstanding scholastic achievements. We wish the students continued success and remind them that prioritization is the key to making their dreams a reality. We at the Portuguese Foundation are confident that they will continue to foster our Portuguese Culture and return someday to volunteer with the Portuguese Foundation in its mission.

With Sincere Thanks,
Manuela M. Freitas, President