Latest news with #Portuguese-American
Boston Globe
4 days ago
- General
- Boston Globe
Portuguese library in New Bedford lives to see another day
Advertisement But on Tuesday the Mayor's office The library has a deep history in the community. Founded in 1971 out of a store front, 'It was a very unique thing for the community to have a municipally funded library dedicated to a particular community, a language speaking community,' Melo said. 'And this was a cornerstone of the community, it was a gathering place.' Advertisement The library's collection, now half in Portuguese and the other half in English, has grown to 24,000 volumes from the few thousands it started with. It also hosts archives of Portuguese cultural and historical life in the city, Melo said. Books on shelves at Casa da Saudade Library in New Bedford. The library has been serving the Portuguese-speaking community in the city since the 1970s. Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff Melo's connection to the library goes way back to when she was a new immigrant in New Bedford. It was at Casa da Saudade that she fell in love with literature. 'I started to visit the library because we were not a family with money to purchase books,' she said. She discovered she could borrow and read as many books as she wanted — in Portuguese at first and eventually in English. The library became so important to her that she went to work there. 'My first job was here as a substitute library assistant,' Melo, who is turning 60 this year, said. 'Here I am, almost 40 years later, as the library director. Because this place showed me the magic of libraries and what it means.' Melo said that part of the challenge the library has faced in recent years is that locals are not using it like they used to in the past. 'It still means a lot to a lot of people and it is still being used. But not to the extent that we're seeing with the other branches,' she said. Going forward, the library will open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and close on Mondays. It was already not available on Fridays. It will also go back to its original mission of focusing on Portuguese content and act as a research center for Portuguese-American life in New Bedford. Advertisement '[To] make sure that our new generation understands the value of the collection that's there,' Melo said. For some, public libraries serve a special role for communities. Sara Slymon, president of the Massachusetts Library Association and the Executive Director of The Thomas Crane Public Library in Quincy, said libraries should not be valued in the same way that a society does a corporation. 'We're not meant to generate revenue. . . . We are a free service to provide lifelong learning and literacy opportunities for every person in our Commonwealth equally,' she said. 'You can never go wrong funding a public library, whether it is the heaviest use public library or the lightest use public library in the state.' Casa da Saudade operates like any other public library across the US. The only difference is things tend to have a Portuguese flavor to them there. An American flag flies alongside a Portuguese flag outside Casa da Saudade Library in New Bedford. Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff In front of the building an American flag flies alongside its Portuguese counterpart. Inside, on a shelf next to Portuguese cook books, sits a crochet of soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo in his Portuguese team's red and green jersey knitted by a member of the crochet club that meets at the library on Tuesday afternoons. Also on the shelves, visitors can find Walter Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs, Michelle Obama's autobiography 'Becoming' and the African writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novels — all available in Portuguese. There were books in English too but a lot of visitors come to Casa da Saudade for the Portuguese collection. Antonieta Lucas, 81, is Portuguese and has been coming to Casa da Saudade since it was out of a store front nearby. She likes the library because she can get books in Portuguese for herself and some to read to her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Advertisement She was shocked to learn that it might close. 'Stupid idea. It's a long time, this is open,' she said on a recent afternoon. Melo said that the reaction of the impending closure of Casa da Saudade showed that the community valued the library and its place in the city. 'That was definitely a driving force that led to the conversations of how can we do this,' she said. Melo said that she will have to reduce some hours from other branches in the system to help keep Casa da Saudade open. New Bedford has one main library and four other branches. But she was glad that the library will stay open. 'We are so lucky that we have this institution. It is unique in the United States for being a publicly funded library with an initial mission to serve a specific community,' she said. 'We have to support it and we're going to develop it with a collection that will continue to make it unique.' Omar Mohammed can be reached at
Fashion Network
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Fashion Network
Ernest W. Baker prepares for first official Paris Fashion Week runway
Could Ernest W. Baker be heading for the Paris runway spotlight? The Portuguese-American label, known for its refined gender-fluid aesthetic, is poised to join the official Paris Fashion Week schedule in January 2026. While co-founder Inês Amorim didn't confirm the news outright, she didn't deny it either. Speaking from the brand's Porto atelier near Estádio do Dragão, Amorim suggested that confirmation is only a matter of time. One thing is certain: the duo is preparing a bold entrance for the upcoming season. 'Our focus is always Paris,' said Inês Amorim during the unveiling of the brand's latest collection at Portugal Fashion Experience, held on the evening of July 3 inside the Porto atelier she shares with co-designer Reid Baker. The Portuguese-American duo helms Ernest W. Baker, a label known for its tailored silhouettes and nostalgic edge. 'Milan isn't currently in our plans. We've shown in Paris every season. We've rented a showroom and, in principle, we'll return in January—possibly with a runway show as part of the official Paris Fashion Week schedule,' Amorim told offering no further details. Backed by Portugal Fashion, the brand recently returned from Paris after presenting its latest collection at a showroom on Rue Béranger, near Place de la République. Now back in Porto, they've left several key looks behind in the French capital—perhaps a quiet sign of what's to come, as Amorim hinted. Though Ernest W. Baker is already listed on the official digital calendar at Paris Fashion Week—with the spring-summer 2026 collection showcased both online and in person—their real ambition is to step onto the physical runway. That goal remains firm, despite the duo's earlier move away from traditional catwalk formats. 'This season, we wanted to explore visual contrasts—mixing rose with cheetah print,' said Amorim. 'The cheetah print is a new addition.' True to form, the brand continues to embrace its signature androgynous aesthetic, with every piece made entirely in Portugal. Amorim also pointed to other material pairings across the collection—canvas with suede, fabric with leather, and a dialogue between dense wool and fluid satin. 'We enjoy working with opposing textures and ideas,' she said. In terms of color, black and white remain a consistent foundation, while each season introduces a new accent tone. 'This time it was green,' Amorim explained. 'But we always return to red—it's romantic, it cuts through neutrals, and we never forget it.'
Fashion Network
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Fashion Network
Ernest W. Baker prepares for first official Paris Fashion Week runway
Could Ernest W. Baker be heading for the Paris runway spotlight? The Portuguese-American label, known for its refined gender-fluid aesthetic, is poised to join the official Paris Fashion Week schedule in January 2026. While co-founder Inês Amorim didn't confirm the news outright, she didn't deny it either. Speaking from the brand's Porto atelier near Estádio do Dragão, Amorim suggested that confirmation is only a matter of time. One thing is certain: the duo is preparing a bold entrance for the upcoming season. 'Our focus is always Paris,' said Inês Amorim during the unveiling of the brand's latest collection at Portugal Fashion Experience, held on the evening of July 3 inside the Porto atelier she shares with co-designer Reid Baker. The Portuguese-American duo helms Ernest W. Baker, a label known for its tailored silhouettes and nostalgic edge. 'Milan isn't currently in our plans. We've shown in Paris every season. We've rented a showroom and, in principle, we'll return in January—possibly with a runway show as part of the official Paris Fashion Week schedule,' Amorim told offering no further details. Backed by Portugal Fashion, the brand recently returned from Paris after presenting its latest collection at a showroom on Rue Béranger, near Place de la République. Now back in Porto, they've left several key looks behind in the French capital—perhaps a quiet sign of what's to come, as Amorim hinted. Though Ernest W. Baker is already listed on the official digital calendar at Paris Fashion Week—with the spring-summer 2026 collection showcased both online and in person—their real ambition is to step onto the physical runway. That goal remains firm, despite the duo's earlier move away from traditional catwalk formats. 'This season, we wanted to explore visual contrasts—mixing rose with cheetah print,' said Amorim. 'The cheetah print is a new addition.' True to form, the brand continues to embrace its signature androgynous aesthetic, with every piece made entirely in Portugal. Amorim also pointed to other material pairings across the collection—canvas with suede, fabric with leather, and a dialogue between dense wool and fluid satin. 'We enjoy working with opposing textures and ideas,' she said. In terms of color, black and white remain a consistent foundation, while each season introduces a new accent tone. 'This time it was green,' Amorim explained. 'But we always return to red—it's romantic, it cuts through neutrals, and we never forget it.'
Fashion Network
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Fashion Network
Ernest W. Baker prepares for first official Paris Fashion Week runway
Could Ernest W. Baker be heading for the Paris runway spotlight? The Portuguese-American label, known for its refined gender-fluid aesthetic, is poised to join the official Paris Fashion Week schedule in January 2026. While co-founder Inês Amorim didn't confirm the news outright, she didn't deny it either. Speaking from the brand's Porto atelier near Estádio do Dragão, Amorim suggested that confirmation is only a matter of time. One thing is certain: the duo is preparing a bold entrance for the upcoming season. 'Our focus is always Paris,' said Inês Amorim during the unveiling of the brand's latest collection at Portugal Fashion Experience, held on the evening of July 3 inside the Porto atelier she shares with co-designer Reid Baker. The Portuguese-American duo helms Ernest W. Baker, a label known for its tailored silhouettes and nostalgic edge. 'Milan isn't currently in our plans. We've shown in Paris every season. We've rented a showroom and, in principle, we'll return in January—possibly with a runway show as part of the official Paris Fashion Week schedule,' Amorim told offering no further details. Backed by Portugal Fashion, the brand recently returned from Paris after presenting its latest collection at a showroom on Rue Béranger, near Place de la République. Now back in Porto, they've left several key looks behind in the French capital—perhaps a quiet sign of what's to come, as Amorim hinted. Though Ernest W. Baker is already listed on the official digital calendar at Paris Fashion Week—with the spring-summer 2026 collection showcased both online and in person—their real ambition is to step onto the physical runway. That goal remains firm, despite the duo's earlier move away from traditional catwalk formats. 'This season, we wanted to explore visual contrasts—mixing rose with cheetah print,' said Amorim. 'The cheetah print is a new addition.' True to form, the brand continues to embrace its signature androgynous aesthetic, with every piece made entirely in Portugal. Amorim also pointed to other material pairings across the collection—canvas with suede, fabric with leather, and a dialogue between dense wool and fluid satin. 'We enjoy working with opposing textures and ideas,' she said. In terms of color, black and white remain a consistent foundation, while each season introduces a new accent tone. 'This time it was green,' Amorim explained. 'But we always return to red—it's romantic, it cuts through neutrals, and we never forget it.'
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
South Coast lawmaker makes multi-limbed argument against octopus farming
A South Coast lawmaker is pushing a bill that would ban the commercial farming of octopus for food, citing ethical concerns about the treatment of what he says are one of the ocean's most intelligent creatures. Testifying on his bill before the Joint Committee on Agriculture on Tuesday, Rep. Christopher Hendricks, D-11th Bristol, described octopi as having a 'level of sentience and awareness that is exceptional in the animal kingdom.' 'Octopus display problem-solving ability, short and long-term memory, play behaviors, even signs of individual personality. Their capacity for suffering is now widely acknowledged by the scientific communities,' he said. Hendricks emphasized that the bill specifically targets commercial aquaculture of octopi for human consumption, which he said involves 'raising them in really confined, barren tanks, commercial tanks, for food production.' 'As a Portuguese-American from New Bedford, I have no interest in banning octopus consumption throughout the commonwealth,' he clarified. Instead, the bill targets only the farming and sale of farm-raised octopi, and does not affect the consumption or sale of octopi caught in the wild. Framing the proposal as a preventative measure, he emphasized that no octopus farms currently exist in the state. 'Let's nip this in the bud,' he urged. Rep. James Arena-DeRosa, 8th Middlesex, who also sits on the panel, said advocates have been active around this issue. 'And you're absolutely right, that it's not an industry yet, so we're not hurting anybody, as far as we know,' Arena-DeRosa said. Springfield protests loss of $20M federal grant to protect environment 'Such a stain': Here's what pushed a major Trump loyalist to break with him Trump's 'big beautiful bill?' Not so much, Mass. pols say, as GOP rolls it out Is Worcester breaking Open Meeting Law by going virtual? What the AG's office says Mass. Gov. Healey pitches energy plan to save $10B over 10 years Read the original article on MassLive.
