On September 17th, a group of Brazilians who live in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania will be providing that community an opportunity to learn a bit more about Brazil's culture in anticipation of the Brazilian presence at the G-20 Summit.
The summit is scheduled for September 24 and 25 and Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, together with host Barack Obama, should be among the chiefs of state present at the meeting.
The Brazilians, the group says, wish to become "part of Pittsburgh's multicultural spectrum of colors and create a cross-cultural channel of communications and resources to maintain a vibrant Brazilian presence in the community before, during and after the G-20 Summit."
The name of the association in charge to this work is Arrepia, Brasil! Their mission, as they state, is to unite individuals and organizations that have an interest in experiencing, promoting and enhancing Brazilian culture and the Portuguese language in that city.
Many Brazilians, like Pittsburgh, have "reinvented" themselves in search of their aspirations, better quality of life and more opportunities. Members of the community are professionals in corporations such as PNC, Alcoa, Heinz, Bayer, Lanxess, UPMC and Summa Technology, among others.
There are also musicians such as Flávio Chamis, whose CD release named Especiaria was nominated for a Latin Grammy in 2007, Kenia, whose CD "Simply Kenia" won the award of the "Best Album" by the Brazilian Press Award in 2009, and the soprano and educator Lilly Abreu, singer with the Pittsburgh Opera and faculty at Carnegie Mellon and University of Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh resident Carla Leininger, who hails from Brazilian capital, Brasília, recently won the Make the Connection award from the National Association of Women Business Owners for all her volunteer work in the community.
Ana Paula Carvalho, coordinator of the outstanding Portuguese program in the Hispanic Languages and Literatures department at the University of Pittsburgh turns dozens of students fluent in the Portuguese language every semester.
Designer Lana Neumeyer has been active in the community, using her creations in fashion shows at benefit parties to help local and Brazilian organizations.
They are also individuals who balance their lives between home, work and family, and still volunteer time with organizations such as Global Links, the Latin American Cultural Union, the Center for Latin American Studies, PUMP, the Multicultural Arts Initiative, the Pittsburgh Aids Task Force, World Affairs Council, Dress for Success, and others.
In summary, the Brazilian community is talented, dynamic and woven into the fabric of Pittsburgh.
The Arrepia, Brasil's program will include:
* A 10 minute presentation about Brazil.
* A 5 minute performance of the world premiere of a G-20 theme song
(with a Brazilian groove) incorporating the talents of maestro Flávio Chamis and singers Kenia and Lilly Abreu.
* A 10 minute presentation about the Brazilian presence in Pittsburgh. Who they are, what they do, how they contribute to the development of the city and why so many Brazilians chose Pittsburgh as their new home.
* A 15 minute Brazilian percussion performance by the Pittsburgh group TIMBELEZA along with a Rio Samba School Costumes Parade and Fashion Show
by Brazilian designer Lana Neumeyer.
* A 10 minute dance and "roda" (circle) by the Pittsburgh Capoeira Group.
* A 10 minute dance performance by the Portuguese students from the University of Pittsburgh's Brazil Nuts Portuguese Club.
* Dance party with more music by TIMBELEZA and Pittsburgh Capoeira
Group
Service
Date: September 17th, 2009 from 5 pm to 6:30 pm
Place: Regional Enterprise Tower, 425 6th Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Arrepia, Brasil site: http://www.arrepiabrasil.org/