During the first few days of 2010, we introduced our new logo with the slogan “The Voyage Continues” as a way to reaffirm our commitment to the mission of the Portuguese Foundation - to advance people of Portuguese ancestry and disseminate a greater awareness of Portuguese Culture throughout the State of Connecticut. However a few weeks before January 24th, the anniversary date of our founding, my focus became less about the Portuguese Foundation and more about the need for compassion and empathy toward the suffering that was happening in the Caribbean Sea.

On January 12, 2010, at 4:53 in the afternoon, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck the island nation of Haiti. As the news and images of the devastation began to make its way around the world, many stood by their television sets to watch as details of the destruction on the poorest country of the Western Hemisphere unfolded. Several hours after the initial quake, the news began to make its way around our group that our long time member, Richard L. Santos, was in Haiti. Now an event that struck far away from Connecticut and seemed distant, was quickly made real and personal to many in our group.

Minutes turned to hours and soon a full day went by. Yet there was no news or information of Rick’s whereabouts. Many of us prayed and hoped that the communications on the island would improve to allow Rick’s family the ability to ascertain if he was safe. As more details were being televised from the news stations, word came that Rick and several of his colleagues were at the Hotel Montana in Port-Au-Prince at the time of the quake. It was close to 11 at night on January 13th, when I first saw the images of the hotel that Rick was supposed to be in. I was aghast at what I was seeing - a flattened pile of concrete slabs and debris that looked like pancakes. It was difficult to watch the reports on the ruins of the hotel, but like so many in our group I continued to hold out hope that Rick would be found alive.

It was soon two days after the quake, 48 hours without food, without water, without any medical attention or communication, and Rick was still not found. The news from Haiti was becoming more tragic by the passing hour. Reports of the death toll were skyrocketing from 30,000, to 80,000, to 100,000, and upwards of 200,000. It would seem that hope was fading, but hope is a funny thing.

Hope requires the resolve of the human spirit to nourish and grow. When something deep within us, sparks the passion to believe that the impossible is possible, hope survives. When our hearts refuse to give in to the darkness of despair and feelings of failure, hope survives. It is when the reality surrounding us paints a picture of odds too great to overcome, that we should hold steadfast to hope. 55 hours later the news came - Rick had been found alive and miraculously uninjured! He and his colleagues were pulled out from under the Hotel Montana by rescue workers, and our belief in the power of hope was reaffirmed.

This year marks the twentieth anniversary of The Portuguese Foundation, and the hope that this small group could make an impact for the greater good of Portuguese Americans in Connecticut is truly reaffirmed. For 19 of those 20 years our group has put together an annual scholarship banquet, in the hopes that the awards given to the brightest students of Portuguese ancestry would in a small way assist them with achieving their dreams of higher education. Indeed many have gone on to become successful professionals. Yet, the Board of Directors hoped that someday many of these students would consider returning to the Foundation to become members themselves, and take an active role in its cause. Although we have seen a few return, Anabela Pinho Cerdeira, Anabela Parreira dos Santos, Vanda C. Marques, Crystal Fernandes and Carlos Canto, we still hold hope that many more of the 122 recipients of the last 19 years will find us again, and join.

We further hoped that during the existence of the Foundation, we could somehow enlighten the residents of Connecticut to the unique wonders of Portuguese Culture. Again, our hope is reaffirmed, as through the years we were able to hold countless events and functions that brought about a greater awareness of Portuguese Culture to thousands of individuals. Simply look at our events section in this booklet to see a list of a few.
Of course, many of the local Portuguese social clubs, churches and vendors do an amazing job preserving our culture in the communities they are based in, but our hope is that on a statewide level we can bring greater attention to what is already being done in these communities, and showcase Portuguese culture to those who may not know much about it at all. OUR hope is that The Portuguese Foundation will be embraced by all the local groups as a vehicle to publicize what they do so well in their own communities. Whether it be Bridgeport, Danbury, Hartford, Naugatuck, New Haven, Stonington, Wallingford or Waterbury, my wish is that each of these cities and towns remember the Foundation is here to work with them on disseminating a greater appreciation for our heritage and culture.

As I reflect on the last twenty years, I would like to share a little of my personal feelings about this group. While attending college, I was fortunate to work at a small law firm that was involved with the creation of The Portuguese Foundation. My task was to assist the founding members of the group with incorporating, and to work with them in obtaining the 501(c)3 status of a public charity. My involvement with the group at this early stage gave me a chance to join as member, and serve as Recording Secretary for a couple of years. Later, I went on to serve in other capacities and volunteer my time to assist the group in achieving its mission. Along the way I worked with, and was mentored by, many remarkable individuals - some who continue to be part of the group today. Yet, my experience has shown that no one single person is responsible for the success of the Foundation.

What I have noticed is that the success of the Foundation comes from all the officers, all the directors, and all the members involved with the group, and most importantly from ALL the generosity of the public that has supported us along the way. The contribution of resources, both financial and personal, from groups and individuals all goes to building a strong Foundation. To every one of you I wish to express my sincere thanks for your contribution and dedication to our
mission. My ultimate HOPE is that The Portuguese Foundation will successfully continue on its voyage for another twenty years.
Lastly, to this year’s scholarship awards recipients, I wish to leave you with a simple quote by
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, a Jesuit priest and French philosopher, who wrote, “the future belongs to those who give the next generation reason for hope.”

May this message of hope, inspire you to go forth and accomplish your dreams. And may one day in the future, you recall this moment and return to inspire future generations as active members of The Portuguese Foundation.

With Sincere Thanks,
Jose "Zak" P. Bravado, President

Feel free to send an email with comments, thoughts or questions about our mission and programs to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Welcome and thank you for attending the 17th Annual Scholarship Banquet.

The Portuguese Foundation was organized in 1990 and two years later created the Scholarship program with the principle that education is the most important element in achieving ones full potential in life. Since 1992, the Foundation has distributed 111 scholarships valued at $170500.00.

The Foundation's ability to help these students comes from the talent and hard work of its Board of Directors, members and most importantly from the generosity of individuals and businesses that have sponsored these efforts throughout the years.

1990, the year that the Foundation was established, was also the year that many of this year's scholarship applicants were born. This era is shadowed by the peaceful fall of the Berlin Wall and the horrors of 9/11 and military action twice against Iraq. In between these two events, society has seen diplomatic initiatives, led by the United Nations in conjunction with the United States in Bosnia and by Portugal in East Timor. And we have seen the globalization of the economy through the implementation of the North American Free Trade Act (NAFTA) between the USA, Mexico and Canada and the unification of the European Continent under one currency, the Euro, along with the explosion of the internet from a research tool to a social networking outlet This period also began with efforts to protect our environment with the enactment of the Clean Air Act, but ends with the threat of global warming.

What will the next eighteen years hold for us?

This generation of Portuguese - Americans have a unique advantage in today's global market, not only in North America and Europe, but also in the emerging economies of Brazil and Angola. We can be confident that today's scholarship recipients are poised to succeed in leadership roles in the coming decades. "Third Culture Kids", a concept developed by the author Lee Aitke, suggests that children of immigrant parents are better able to adapt and find niches in an evolving society because of their comfort with foreign cultures and the understanding of a larger world beyond their neighborhoods.

However, success cannot be achieved without teamwork. Teamwork is not limited to athletics, but also entails cooperation within families, and social and academic clubs. That is why it is so important to PFI to continue awarding these scholarships of educational achievement and honoring community organizations, such as Casa Benfica, Leoes Unidos de Hartford (Sporting) and the Hartford Portuguese Club Soccer Team. These organizations embody the spirit of the Portuguese Foundation by maintaining a connection to our heritage through their enjoyment of soccer.

Within each team, individuals must strive to be the best that they can be. In the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson: "To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to give one's self; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived - This is success".

Thank you for your support.
John Bairos, President

Welcome and thank you for attending the 16th Annual Scholarship Banquet.

The Portuguese Foundation was organized in 1990 and in 1992 created the Scholarship program with the principle that education is the most important element in achieving one's full potential in life. Since 1992, the Foundation has distributed 107 scholarships valued at $166,500.00.

The Foundation's ability to help these students comes from the talent and hard work of its Board of Directors, guiding members and most importantly from the generosity of individuals and businesses that have financially supported these efforts throughout the years.

World history reflects the influence of the Portuguese on every continent. From one of the smallest nations on the European continent, sailed the greatest discoverers who left a legacy of Portuguese culture and tradition that remain to this day on every continent. From Africa to Goa to Macao to Philippines to Hawaii to Brazil to Newfoundland, the legacy of Portuguese culture & traditions remain to this day.

In America, descendants of the Portuguese have made a lasting impact, beginning with the first recording of a Portuguese settler, Mathias de Sousa, landing in 1634 in Maryland. In all fields, including law, entertainment, government, education, finance, religion and medicine, Portuguese Americans have made lasting footprints. The names of Benjamin Mendes Seixas, a founder of the New York Stock Exchange; John Philip Sousa, leader of the U.S. Marine Corp Marching Band; Justice Benjamin Cardozo on the U.S. Supreme Court; Mayor Helen L.C. Lawrence (Silveira); Cardinal Humberto Sousa Medeiros; television news journalist Meredith Vieira; golfer Billy Andrade and singer Nellie Furtado.

Neither we nor any of those individuals could have had the opportunities that have been given to us, if not for the explorers under Prince Henry the Navigator. Names such as Estevao Gomes, Pedro Cabral, Joao Cabrilho, Joao Corte Real and Fernando Magalhaes.

We have been given a foundation, as defined by Webster's Dictionary - "the act of establishing the founding of an institution with provisions for future maintenance" and an obligation to respect the accomplishments of our ancestral explorers and promulgate new achievements. That is why it is so important to PFI to continue awarding these scholarships of educational achievement and honoring community organizations, such as The Holy Ghost Portuguese Society and Escola Portuguesa da Nossa Senhora da Fatima. Both of these organizations embody the spirit of the Portuguese Foundation to disseminate Portuguese culture throughout Connecticut.

The Holy Ghost Portuguese Society, located in East Hartford, continues centuries old traditions celebrating the Festa do Espirito Santo and the Escola Portuguesa provides an opportunity for individuals to learn the Portuguese language.

Each scholarship recipient serves as a symbol of Prince Henry the Navigator's expeditious fleet, the Caravela's. Each of the explorers that left Portugal set out to acquire new resources for Portugal. Each of the scholarship recipients will set out on a journey, not only for themselves but to achieve the dreams of their families and community to accomplish great things in society.

As our ancestors left the shores of Portugal with sights on new ports, we must follow in their footsteps - to look over the horizon to ensure that the foundation stays afloat for many years to come to help other caravelas set off for new ports and to never forget the port from whence we began our journey.