Place: Regional Enterprise Tower, 425 6th Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
ARREPIA,BRASIL! is the name of the Brazilian community located in Pittsburgh, PA. Their mission is to unite individuals and organizations that have an interest in experiencing, promoting and enhancing Brazilian culture and the Portuguese language in Pittsburgh. Their website is www.arrepiabrasil.org.
Similar to the history of Pittsburgh, many Brazilians here 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, to name a few. There are also artists such as Flavio 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. Carla Leininger, from the nation’s capital, Brasilia, 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 weaved into the fabric of Pittsburgh.
On Sept 17th, they are providing the community an opportunity to learn a bit more about Brazil’s culture in anticipation of the Brazilian presence at the G-20 Summit. The objective is 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 our community before, during and after the G-20 Summit.
The 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, of course!) incorporating the talents of maestro Flavio Chamis and singers Kenia and Lilly Abreu.
- A 10 minute presentation about the Brazilian presence in Pittsburgh. Who we are, what we do, how we contribute to the development of the city and why so many of us selected Pittsburgh as our 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.
- Dance party with more music by TIMBELEZA and Pittsburgh Capoeira Group
