THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, SEpTEmbER 18, 2026 Page 13 Independence Day at City Hall CELEBRATES | FROM PAGE 12 Mayor Robert J. Van Campen, Mass. Alliance for Portuguese Speakers CEO Paulo Pinto and School Committee Vice Chairperson Marcony Almeida Barros pose with staff members and attendees. “For those of us who are thousands of miles away from Brazil, celebrations like this are about so much more than just raising a flag. They’re about keeping our culture alive, celebrating music, food, language, traditions, and the Brazilian spirit,” said Ward 2 Councillor Stephanie Martins. “Here in Everett, the Brazilian community has become an important part of the fabric of the city, opening businesses, keeping the storefronts vibrant, creating jobs, providing essential services, and helping move our local economy forward.” “Today’s flag raising is realMayor Robert J. Van Campen speaks with a resident during the celebration. Mass. Alliance for Portuguese Speakers CEO Paulo Pinto dances with an attendee. ly an occasion and a chance for Brazilian residents to see a piece of home represented in this place where you live, work, raise your families, and build that future together,” said Mayor Robert J. Van Campen. “I am proud to recognize Brazilian heritage in the City of Everett. On behalf of the City, I say Happy Brazilian Independence Day to everyone here. Thank you so very much for everything you bring to and do for this community. Obrigado.” “May this occasion remind us Members of the band hold a Brazilian flag. Brazilian Deputy Consul General Maria Helena Pinheiro Penna speaks during the celebration. A singer performs the U.S. and Brazilian national anthems. Eliot Family Resource Center’s Senior Director of Community Impact and Development, Liliana Patino (right), speaks with a resident. that our diversity is one of the greatest strengths, and that our city is better because of the people and families who have chosen to build their lives here,” said Massachusetts Alliance for Portuguese Speakers CEO Paulo Pinto. “Happy Brazilian Independence Day, and long live the friendship between Brazil, our community, and the City of Everett.” Brazilian Independence Day, which is celebrated annually on September 7, commemorates Brazil’s 1822 declaration of independence from Portugal by Dom Pedro, who later became the nation’s first emperor. The Brazilian Independence Day celebration provided an opportunity for Everett residents to celebrate the history, culture and traditions of Brazil while recognizing the many ways the Brazilian community continues to contribute to Everett.
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