Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers honors 3 individuals, raises $232,000 at gala

CAMBRIDGE – The Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS) honored three distinguished community leaders and raised $232,000 at their sold-out annual awards gala on April 20, which will enable the health and social services organization to provide vital services to help improve the lives of thousands of Portuguese-speaking individuals and their families.

“It’s always inspiring and humbling to be around so many wonderful friends and supporters who fuel our passion and strengthen the work that we do every day throughout the year,” said MAPS CEO Paulo Pinto, addressing more than 400 community leaders, entrepreneurs and public officials gathered at the Royal Sonesta Boston Hotel in Cambridge.

READ MORE: Pinto on 30 years at Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers - and what lies ahead

“This evening, we have the great pleasure to honor three very special individuals, whose compassion, strength and vision have propelled our communities to move forward and to build a better future for all,” he added. “Their success is a great source of pride for all of us and they are inspirational role models for the next generation.”

Pinto noted the gala’s theme – ocean waves – was a metaphor for the journey of immigrants.

“As they navigate the reality of the new country, seeking refuge, opportunity and belonging, just like the waves that arrive with the tides, the immigrant experience is marked by moments of resilience, courage and determination,” he said. “It is a journey filled with challenges and uncertainties and unfamiliar landscapes. Yet, it is also filled with hope, potential and the promise of a better tomorrow.”

In the last fiscal year, MAPS helped increase access and remove barriers to health, education, and social services to a record 24,272 Portuguese, Brazilian, Cabo Verdean and other immigrants.

The organization offers child and family clinical services, citizenship and immigration assistance, domestic violence and sexual assault services, elder services, health insurance assistance, and mental health support, among other essential programs.

“At MAPS, we made it our mission for the past 54 years to be the guiding light for immigrants and their families… much like the ocean’s waves our work continues forward with purpose, touching the lives of immigrants and their families in profound ways,” Pinto said. “We know that our work is making a positive difference in people’s lives every day.”

Since last year’s gala, MAPS increased its mental health services for seniors and survivors of violence and expanded its community and education efforts regarding domestic violence. It also bought a building to open an office in Everett.

“This will be our seventh office and third building,” he said. “We are investing in the future of our organization and the well-being of our immigrant community. Owning our own space provides stability, security, and control over our destiny.”

MAPS is also working on growing its endowment fund and hopes it can reach $1 million by next year.“[It] will ensure the longevity and resilience of our organization,” he said. “Together, we will continue to make waves and a positive change that will echo throughout the generations to come.”

Robert F. Rivers honored as MAPS Person of the Year

Robert F. Rivers, the chair and CEO of Eastern Bank, was honored with the MAPS 2024 Person of the Year Award.

Pinto said Rivers is the ultimate example of what it means to be a socially conscious and community-engaged business leader.

“He is a man who is known throughout this region not only as a top-level bank executive, but also as a committed advocate and supporter of community service, philanthropy, diversity and social justice,” said Pinto, who presented the award with MAPS Board of Directors President António Massa Viana.

Born in Stoughton, Mass., Rivers is the great-grandson of Portuguese immigrants who arrived in New Bedford in the late 1800s, hailing from the island of Flores in the Azores and mainland Portugal.

“To receive a recognition from an organization that is not only aligned with things that we care about professionally, but to receive one that relates to my own personal background is really quite an honor,” Rivers told O Jornal.

Rivers is involved extensively in the community, serving as Chair of The Dimock Center and on the Board of Directors of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, The Lowell Plan, and The New England Council.

He is a member of the Board of Trustees of Stonehill College, the Advisory Board of Lawrence Partnership, the JFK Library Foundation, the Boston Women’s Workforce Council, and the Boston Club, in addition to providing support and guidance to numerous other non-profit organizations.

He is also a co-chair of the recently launched Massachusetts Business Coalition for Early Childhood Education, comprised of more than 100 Massachusetts companies and business associations focused on raising awareness about the need for a robust and sustainable network of early childcare and education.

“Even though I grew up as a working-class kid in Stoughton, you always carried an advantage by virtue of being a white male,” Rivers told O Jornal. “As I came to have friends in other communities and saw the challenges they went through, I became increasingly struck by that. I just felt that it was unfair, and I was in a position to do something about it.”

Lenita Reason honored with the MAPS Jorge Fidalgo Community Service Award

Lenita Reason, the Executive Director of the Brazilian Worker Center (BWC) since 2021, was honored with the MAPS Jorge Fidalgo Community Service Award.

The Brazilian native was introduced by Nelson Fidalgo Barros, nephew of the late Jorge Fidalgo, who said her “tireless dedication to defend and advance immigrant rights have made an undeniable impact on the lives of so many community members in Massachusetts.”

Prior to leading the nonprofit organization dedicated to defending and advancing immigrants’ labor and human rights, she served BWC in various capacities. She was a community organizer, office manager, outreach coordinator, and co-founded the Building Justice Workers Committee.

In 2020, she became co-chair of the Driving Families Forward Coalition, a group that played a crucial role in the recent passage of the Work and Family Mobility Act in Massachusetts, guaranteeing that all Massachusetts residents can apply for a driver’s license, regardless of immigration status.

“Thank you very much to Paulo Pinto and the MAPS Board for recognizing the work that I did, not because I wanted to get something out of it, but because I knew what it was like to live and work in this country without a driver’s license,” Reason said. “The driver’s license was a priority for us, but there’s still much to be done.”

Sharing her heartfelt gratitude, Reason said this award is a tribute to all who joined her on this remarkable journey.

“This was the work of many people,” she said. “A coalition of over 270 organizations, with different backgrounds, different origins, community organizations, unions, businesses, faith organizations… we all came together to make this possible. We all did it together. Thank you for this award. Thank you everyone, who in one way or another helped us to make this possible.”

Tony DaRocha honored with the MAPS Manuel N. Coutinho Outstanding Volunteer Award

Tony DaRocha, the President and Coach at Boston United Track and Cross-Country Club, received the MAPS Manuel N. Coutinho Outstanding Volunteer Award.

He was introduced by Barbara Coutinho, daughter of the late Manuel N. Coutinho, who praised him for being a “man who created positive change in his community.”

“For decades, he has been guided by his earnest passion for making a difference through athletics, education, coaching and mentoring,” she said. “Tony’s impact extends far beyond the classroom walls.”

Throughout his career as a physical education teacher and coach in the Boston public school system, DaRocha’s teams and athletes achieved great success, regionally and nationally, in cross country and track & field.

He co-founded the Greater Roxbury Track Club, a program that offered summer training and fitness to anyone, regardless of age.

In 2011, he started the Boston United Track & Cross-Country Club, through which he continues to help student-athletes succeed in the classroom and on the track.

“Tony’s commitment to community development transcends borders,” Coutinho said. “He has volunteered to coach for the Cabo Verde Olympic committee, mentoring athletes who proudly represented Cabo Verde at prestigious international events such as Summer Olympics and world championships.”

A native of Brava, Cabo Verde, DaRocha thanked his family as he received the award.

“Never in my wildest dreams I expected, when I left Cabo Verde at a young age, I would be where I am today,” he said. “I just want to help as many folks as I can because folks helped me and now it’s time for me to help others.”

For more information about MAPS, visit the agency’s website at maps-inc.org.

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers raises $232,000 at gala