During 2019, we successfully, and proudly, covered and sponsored many events in Portuguese communities. Our success is reflected in over 120 thousand website page views, and the many thousands of likes on social media.
Most viewed articles in 2019
We started the year 2019, sponsoring the Dr. Edward Leitão Memorial Scholarship Fund to Award Scholarships to 4 Portuguese-Americans Pursuing Health Careers a great cause to support new Portuguese-Americans health professionals. Also in January, we published two excellent articles, A Dichotomous Identity from our collaborator Nelson de Sousa from NJ; and another about a group of “Ribeiragrandenses” from New England sing at the 25th “Cantar às Estrelas” in Ribeira Grande, Azores.
In February, we had the opportunity to publish a few articles from our collaborators Nelson de Sousa – Feeling Portugal all over the world and Valentine’s Day Oreo Serradura (Sawdust Pudding) With Strawberry Hearts. Also from Ana Patuleia Ortins – My Father’s Alentejo.
In March, we visited The Azores: 9 Islands | 9 Photographers exhibition at University Crossing, an event sponsored by the Saab Center for the Portuguese Studies at UMass Lowell, we had the opportunity to interview the distinguished photographer Pedro Letria.
In April, we sponsored Marsi concert in Lowell, and we had the opportunity to Help Heal a Broken Heart, supporting the heart surgery of Roy Dias, a member of the Portuguese American motorcycle club (PARR). Also, we published How are you? A contribution from Nelson de Sousa, about the Portuguese perception of health condition. This month, we also started a successful segment called Almost Portuguese by Jacky Ankeles, who also wrote I HAVE to be a little Portuguese.
In May, we were present at 2019 International Portuguese Music Awards Winners: The Complete List, where we had the opportunity to interact with many Portuguese artists in one of the most significant events dedicated to the Portuguese Music in the Portuguese communities. MAPS celebrated their yearly Gala MAPS 2019 Awards Gala Raises More Than $200K and Honors Outstanding Community Leaders. May was the month that the Secretary of State for the Portuguese Communities visited New England, Portuguese Government promotes 3500 higher education openings for Luso-Americans students and New York, Portuguese organizations in New York award Secretary of State for Communities NY – Portugal Day Leadership Awards Gala 2019. Also in May, we participated at the conference “Growing up Portuguese in Lowell”.
June was the month of Portugal, and we were very active sponsoring the 2019 Boston Portuguese Festival, where we Feel the Heartbeat of Portugal in the US. to celebrate the month Milena Rodrigues published the recipe of one of the best Portuguese summer dishes Grilled Sardines: A Portuguese Treasure. In June, the country was congratulated with Portugal elected Best European Tourist Destination for 3rd. consecutive year by World Travel Awards
July is the month of the US, and we celebrated with A Toast to America on the 4th of July. It was also the month of vacations and Nelson de Sousa wrote Portuguese Summers, a description of Portuguese families spending their vacation in Portugal. For the ones who stayed, we were present at the second anniversary of the Village Bar & Grill Not Your Father’s Bar: Village Bar & Grill one of the best Portuguese sports bars in the Boston area.
In August, we published articles about the Portuguese communities in RI A New Way to Celebrate Portuguese Pride and in the New Bedford area Luso-Americans in New Bedford want to rediscover Portuguese roots – Consul of Portugal, and State Representative in the US for 30 years, António Cabral still has support from emigrants
In September, we wrote so many stories, some of them about travel destinations, Porto, Another Reason Portugal is a Best World Travel Destination, and Azores nominated world’s best diving destination at World Travel Awards. A UN report places Portugal among the 30 most sustainable countries in the world, and we covered the MAPS Golf Tournament, where MAPS Raised More Than $42K on Second Charity Golf Tournament Benefiting Senior Center, we were also at Everett’s Village Fest 2019. It was also in September that we published the sad news of the death of Roberto Leal 1951-2019: A true ambassador of Portuguese music.
In October, we covered the Portuguese elections for the Parliament Elections/outcomes: PS wins with 36.65% and 106 deputies – provisional final result, and Elections: Emigrants’ vote tripled compared to 2015. This month the bad weather in Azores: Hurricane ‘Lorenzo’ causes 170 occurrences, 53 people displaced. Also, we visited one of the most well known Portuguese restaurants in RI O Dinis, a Unique Portuguese Restaurant Brings Fado to US.
In November, Portugal won ‘Oscar’ for the best tourist destination in the world for the 3rd time and we covered the 49th Anniversary of the Radion Portugal Boston, The Radio that gives voice to a community. Also, we spread the word about the illness of Eva Batista Needs Your Help.
In December, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the business visa for Portuguese citizens, and we published a Proposal to encourage increased civic participation of Portuguese living abroad. We ended the year with an article about the Portuguese Community in Attleboro Priest Blocks Holy Ghost Feast.
We hope these are several reasons to continue to follow our work and continuing enjoying our articles at Feel Portugual in the USA. In the year 2020, we are hoping to expand our content and conquer new audiences to keep pursuing the goals of our mission.
To all of you, we wish that 2020 will be a year full of happiness and success. Happy New Year!
Paulo Martins and Feligenio Medeiros, editors and co-founders.
