FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: SARA BARNES, PAULA REIDBORD
Brazil Fest 2025 to be held on Sunday June 1 at the MV Agricultural Hall is Postponed
In June 2024 close to five hundred people gathered at the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society to celebrate Brazilian heritage and culture, the rural lifestyle and to make connections across languages, histories and other boundaries. Brazil Fest/Fest do Brasil 2024 was a huge success. Since then, over 220 individuals and organizations have devoted thousands of volunteer hours to making the second annual celebration a true example of building community bridges.
“We are so disappointed that due to the present climate of fear and intimidation against the immigrant and Brazilian community we will have to postpone the second annual Brazil Fest,” said Sara Barnes, Executive Director of MV Mediation, the organization that initiated the Building Bridges Coalition. All of the members of the coalition were polled and 94% said that although they were angry, disappointed and shocked, postponement was the best course of action.
Paula Reidbord remarked, “As the coordinator of the Brazil fest and as a Brazilian I am appalled by the atrocious events taking place on MV. We want to celebrate and honor our Brazilian and immigrant communities, who are an integral part of this island and deserve equal respect.
Our goal for the Brazil fest is to bring us closer together.”
Brazil Fest is designed to bring all communities together on Martha’s Vineyard in a cultural celebration as well as to provide a setting for local nonprofits and service organizations to promote their work. Those organizations include:
· MV Agricultural Society
· Martha's Vineyard Chamber of Commerce
· Vineyard Gazette
· Friends of WMVY Radio
· Martha's Vineyard Adult Learning Program
(MVALP)
· ACE MV Adult & Community Education
· Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cape Cod & the Islands
· Martha's Vineyard Boys & Girls Club
· Martha's Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS)
· Martha's Vineyard Youth Task Force
· Clothes to Go,
a ministry of the United Methodist Church of Martha's Vineyard
· Island Grown Initiative (IGI)
· Misty Meadows Equine Learning Center,
· Martha's Vineyard Vineyard Power
· MV Community Services
· Dukes County Board of Health - Martha's Vineyard Tick Program
· Dukes County Health & Human Services
· Health Imperatives -family planning,WIC, Healthy Families
· Doula
· CAP Communication Ambassador Partnership
· Hospice and Palliative Care of Martha's Vineyard
· Tisbury Council on Aging
· Red House Peer Recovery Support Center
· Martha's Vineyard Library Association -West Tisbury, Oak Bluffs
· Martha's Vineyard Museum NAACP of Martha's Vineyard
· Rotary Club of Martha's Vineyard
· SCORE
· Circuit Arts / Circuit Films
· Martha's Vineyard Playhouse
· MV Diversity Coalition / Truth & Joy
· The Yard
· Milokan Cultural Center
· Marcia Borges
· Sense of Wonder Creations Inc
· Vineyard Conservation Society
The Building Bridges Coalition would like to thank our core financial sponsors: AAA CPR and First Aid Training, Airport Fitness, MV Mediation, Rotary Club of Martha's Vineyard, Back Door Donuts, NAACP of Martha's Vineyard, Island Housing Trust as well as a generous grant from the National Association for Community Mediation.
Many students and young people had been preparing for the event with artwork to be displayed, the traditional dancing of the Brazilian quadrilha, and a fire pit, that had been requested by the local high school students in letter to the facilities manager at the Ag Hall. It read in part:
In Brazil, parties in the month of June take place during the winter. Sometimes it can be quite cold so to make people warmer, and to be outside and participate in games and dancing, people traditionally light bonfires. It is part of our culture.
This will help people feel like they are at home. People who don’t know the culture will know more about why we have this tradition. In Brazil, we all make a circle and everyone stays there. It makes people connect.
Their teacher, Jonah Kaplan-Woolner said: “I teach immigrant students at Martha's Vineyard Regional High School. Based on the trauma and uncertainty my students are suffering through, I believe what the government is doing constitutes psychological torture… My students have missed significant chunks of school--during finals week--due to fear of their parents or themselves being plucked off the streets. Is that the goal? To intimidate, bully and traumatize teenagers whose only crime was being born in another country, or having parents who were? To deny them their constitutional right to a free quality education?
Some members of the Coalition considered holding the event, despite the dramatic recent occurrences of over 20 Federal Immigration detentions of Martha’s Vineyard residents. Said one who wanted the event to continue: “It’s more now more important than ever to come together to celebrate the Island’s diversity and build bridges between cultures so we can continue to meld and coexist.” Most of the Brazilian members of the coalition, though, believed this would not be interpreted as solidarity. “People are scared to go outside; no one should feel this way’ said one anonymous member, another, “While I am sad to see the event delayed this year, I'm grateful we are moving forward in solidarity with the Brazilian community in making this important decision together.” And “We are disappointed with the state of the country that our island is no longer safe place for our community members.” All wanted their comments kept anonymous.
Paula Redbord, event coordinator continued “For this to take place without Brazilian’s people’s presence would make no sense. This event will happen in the future and when it does it will be a celebration of our culture, our strength and resilience, what brings us together and makes us stronger.”
State Representative Thomas Moakley commented: “Today the Building Bridges Coalition announced that due to a climate of fear on Martha’s Vineyard, the second annual Brazil Fest will be postponed. As state representative, I would like to express my deep disappointment that what was intended to be a celebration of unity and neighbors coming together to learn about each other’s cultures has had to suspend their operations. Our neighbors here are demanding that the due process guaranteed by the Constitution is upheld in every detainer case and that our elected officials in DC put an end to tactics that prioritize fear over public safety.”
A tentative date has been scheduled for Brazil Fest 2025 to be held at the Martha’s Vineyard Agriculture Hall as October 12, which is Children’s Day in Brazil.
A core member of the coalition Tainá Paizante Chaves said, “There are many realities in this moment, but it’s important to be sensitive to the collective fear and desperation being felt by many who call this island home. Brazil Fest is more than a celebration; it’s a chance for families to reconnect with their roots and share the beauty and strength of their culture with their neighbors. This moment brings tears, but it won’t take away our people’s ability to find joy again. We will—hopefully soon!
“Postponing the event is not a sign of fear, but rather an act of compassion and solidarity.” said Rachel BenDavid, President of the MV Mediation Board of Directors “It acknowledges the real and present concerns of our Brazilian neighbors and sends a message that MV Mediation and the broader Building Bridges coalition are listening, respecting, and standing with our entire community during this difficult time. When the time is right to reschedule, I hope we can reaffirm our commitment to celebrating and honoring Brazilian culture in a way that feels safe and uplifting for all. With appreciation for your leadership and the voices guiding this process.”
The coalition will still hold their meeting scheduled for Friday afternoon on zoom to bring the group together and plan for the future. Anyone interested in joining the Building Bridges Coalition should send an email to buildingbridges@mvmediation.org.