- A report by the Mauricio
Gaston Institute for Latino Community Development & Public
Policy at UMass Boston states that there are almost 12,000
Brazilians living in the MetroWest area - the majority
living in Framingham, Marlborough and Milford - and 1,000
Brazilian businesses in Massachusetts.
- According to the report,
these businesses account for annual sales of $272 million
and contribute nearly $179 million to the regional product
and $12.8 million in state and federal taxes. Nationally,
Brazilian businesses in the U.S. account for annual sales of
$1 billion. They employ more than 10,400 people and
contribute a little over $1 billion to the national product,
as well as $108 million in state and federal taxes. Their
economic activity results in the creation of 14,000 indirect
jobs.
- Alvaro Lima, director of
research for the Boston Redevelopment Authority and
co-author of the report, said, “The most important
conclusion in the report is the impact of the Brazilian
community for the economy of the Commonwealth, not as just
consumers and workers, but also as entrepreneurs.”
- Lima said that the large
concentration of Brazilians in towns such as Marlborough and
Framingham is very important to the local economy. “These
cities would not be what they are without Brazilians. The
best example is downtown Framingham, which they revived,” he
said.
- Erika Jerram, a planner
of the community and economic development of the town of
Framingham, said, “They’re critical to our downtown. The
Brazilian business owners are a vital part of downtown, and
we’re doing everything we can to find ways to help them to
survive and thrive.”
- Jerram also talked about
the importance of diversity in downtown Framingham. “There
is a Korean grocery, a Russian grocery, and with the
Brazilian businesses, we’ve got a great kind of niche that
other towns don’t have.”
- The report also shows
that the Brazilian community is becoming a significant
presence in Massachusetts and in the whole country.
According to the 2006 American Community Survey,
Massachusetts is home to approximately 75,000 Brazilians -
who are the fifth largest immigrant community in the state.
- Fernando Castro, owner of
Income Tax Plus, one of the business pioneers downtown, has
been in the United States for 20 years and has been a
business owner in downtown Framingham for 15 years. “There
were a few stores, but it was nothing like it is today,” he
said.
- Although some people may
think that Brazilian immigrants do not pay federal income
tax, Castro said that for ten years, the number of Brazilian
immigrants who went to his office to declare their federal
income tax doubled each year. “There is still continuous
growth, but due to increased business competition, the
growth is not as much as previous years.”
- According to Castro, in
downtown Framingham, there are now five income tax offices
that work directly with Brazilian immigrants, and one which
works directly with American citizens. “This time of the
year, I will probably do the income tax for nearly four to
five thousand Brazilians, which I think is a large number
for just one city,” he said.
- Castro said that in the
past, Brazilians have invested their properties back in
Brazil. Recently, however, in the past few years, people are
investing more in the United States. “The difference between
the dollar and the real [Brazilian currency] is not big.”
- According to Castro, 15
years ago there were many unutilized rental spaces in
downtown. Castro said many residents believe Brazilians are
taking jobs in the employment sector from American citizens.
“Brazilians did not move anyone out of here. The spaces were
empty and they were in need of revitalization. All they
[Brazilians] did was made good use of the empty spaces,” he
said.
- He emphasized the
economic importance of Brazilian businesses in Framingham.
“If Brazilians left downtown Framingham, I wouldn’t see a
substitution,” said Castro. “With the growth of shopping
malls in the area, businesses have left downtown Framingham,
and I don’t think they would come back.”
- Brazilians have been
immigrating since the 1970s, but according to Metrowest
Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Theodore Welte, the
downtown transition really happened in early 1990s when
Brazilian entrepreneurs set up stores to serve the needs of
the growing Brazilian population.
- “Brazilians really
revitalized the downtown Framingham area. There were a lot
of empty storefronts and they really brought it back.”
- Selectman John Stasik
said after Brazilians decided to open businesses, there was
a noticeable change in the area, such as more people on the
streets and more traffic. “They are really entrepreneurs,
very hard workers. Many of them took over a lot of different
stores and opened a number of different businesses. They’ve
been with us now for 25 years. They’ve become an integral
component of the economic vitality of downtown.”
- Luiz da Silva, owner of
the Brazilian store Espresso Valadares, opened his business
in 1987. Some members of the community say he was the first
Brazilian business owner in downtown Framingham. However, he
is too modest to agree. “I’m the second.”
- After working so many
years at the same place, he has seen the whole downtown
undergo a transition. “This place was dead. Nothing happened
here. Today, business here is much better.”
- Da Silva said it is
important to point out that Brazilians are doing a good job
for their community and building their future here. “We see
Brazilian doctors and lawyers. We see Brazilians working in
the Registry of Motor Vehicles, and that is great for the
Framingham community.”
- The Framingham Community
Health Center, which provides primary medical and behavioral
health care in partnership with the South Middlesex
Opportunity Council, Wayside Youth Family Support Network
and Advocates, Inc., has been increasing the numbers of
Brazilian patients over the years. As of 2006, they have
been working with an increasing number of Brazilians and 60
percent of their patients speak Portuguese.
- However, Brazilian
immigrants and businesses have also been impacted by the
United States’ recent economic down-turn, and immigration
law enforcement. “People are starting to buy one-way
tickets,” said Welte.
- He said that a large part
of their customer base is Brazilian, so the Metrowest
Chamber of Commerce and business owners are working together
to expand their market to new customers.
- “Brazilian entrepreneurs
are actually citizens. They have roots here. They are
settled. They have their homes. Their kids go to school
here. Many of them don’t want to go back to Brazil,” said
Welte.
- Brazilian Pastor Maestro
Wando, has a radio show on 650 AM during which he plays
religious songs. He also hosts community leaders such as
lawyers and doctors on his show to keep Brazilian immigrants
informed about what is going on in their community.
- “We are politically
involved,” Wando said. “We are worried about who is going to
win the presidential election. We did not come here to make
money and go back to Brazil. We came to stay and to make
this country our home.
- “A Brazilian who lives
in Framingham is someone who buys a home, who builds a
family here. Framingham is definitely a welcoming town to
Brazilian families,” he added.
- According to the UMass
Boston report, three out of every 10 homes bought by
immigrants in Massachusetts are purchased by Brazilians.
- Even though Welte admits
there are many people going back to Brazil due to
documentation problems, he doesn’t think this will impact
Framingham economically. “Stores that have vacated were
reoccupied by other Brazilian businesses,” he said.
- Stasik said, “For the
longest time, businesses were pretty much geared toward
their own people. That is changing. They are trying to open
their businesses to the wider population and encourage other
people to come in.”
- Castro said the notion
that that Brazilians come here to make money and return to
Brazil is a misconception. “We have roots here. Our children
are here. We have no intention of going back - unless it’s
for a vacation or when we retire, I see the Brazilian
community well settled and with no chance of looking back,”
he said.
-
- [Editor’s note: Some of the reporter’s interviews
were conducted in Portuguese and translated].
