Special to the Independent
Last week, Representative Joe McGonagle had the opportunity to speak before dozens of entrepreneurs and business owners, many of whom are Brazilian immigrants, at the Harvard Club in the Boston about the importance and impact of Brazilian immigrants to the business community and the Commonwealth as a whole. The three day conference invited business owners of Brazilian descent from across the country to discuss the benefits and challenges of being immigrant business owners in the U.S.
“I was thrilled to be invited to this event by my good friend Lilian Mageski, who is the president of Associacao De Mulheres Empreendedoras (Association of Women Entrepreneurs),” said McGonagle. “This event was packed with entrepreneurs living all over the country who have all come here from Brazil and made successful careers on their own. I have longed looked up to Lilian for her grit and determination and yesterday was an excellent opportunity to meet others like her, who came to this country not speaking any English, starting at the bottom and have risen to achieve their dreams.”
Other speakers at the conference included Brazilian pizza mogul Careca, Florida immigration attorney Izi Pinho, marketing CEO Regiane Luna and many more. Rep. McGonagle was also joined by fellow legislators Rep. Danillo Sena and Senator Jamie Eldridge.
“With Everett having such a large Brazilian population, it is essential that I as the State Rep am aware of the issues our neighbors are having and knowing what solutions are out there to assist. The stories I heard and people I met with yesterday truly affirmed what I knew to be true: our Brazilian friends are some of the hardest working and most resilient people I know, and they are great assets to our community. I am humbled to be serving as the State Rep. who gets the privilege to represent these people,” said McGonagle.