• Research completed between August and October 2024

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• Research partners: Instituto Diaspora Brasil and Usideais Comunicação e Pesquisa

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• DATA SOURCE
• Socio-economic data from multiple sources

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• 51 qualitative Interviews and focus groups

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• COMMUNITY MEMBERS PARTICIPANTS
• 1.5 and 2^nd generations

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• Leaders of community-based organizations

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• Public service employees

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• Elected officials

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• Small and Medium sized business owners

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• Community media communicators

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• Artists and cultural producers

Source: Usideias Comunicação e Pesquisa

• FIRST MIGRATION WAVE (1970-2000)

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• Began in 1970s and intensified in the 1980s

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• Motivated by economic recession, high rates of unemployment, inflation in Brazil – the “lost decade”

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• Mostly young, male, middle class with some formal education

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• Increasing family migration and socio-economic diversity by the end of the period

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• SECOND MIGRATION WAVE (2000-2015)

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• Motivated by a search for a better life specially for families with children

• Increasingly transnational in character

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• Increase in the number of Brazilian students (7,000 in 2005 to 24,000 in 2015) and researchers

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• THIRD MIGRATION WAVE (2015-present)

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• Mostly families with diverse socio- economic status

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• Motivated by economic uncertainties, urban violence, and political climate in Brazil

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• Adverse impacts of COVID-19 related to ineligibility for CARES

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• Transition from temporary migration to a settled community

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• Growth in second generation population

Source: Instituto Diáspora Brasil

LARGEST IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY IN MASSACHUSETTS

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• The 2022 American Community Survey estimated 140,000 people, 384,000 according Brazilian government

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• An increase of 52,5% since 2015 (Mass. Population grew by 2.8% during the same period)

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• Massachusetts has the second largest Brazilian population in the U.S. behind Florida

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• 40% of Brazilians are citizens (24% naturalized citizens and 16% U.S. born)

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• Brazilians in early waves were mainly from Minas Gerais - recently home communities include São Paulo, Goiás, Espírito Santo, Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Rio de Janeiro

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• Brazilians are concentrated in urban areas of the state – Greater Boston (42.6%); MetroWest (19.6%); and the southeast region of the state (12%)

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Source: Instituto Diáspora Brasil

• Brazilian workers contributed $8 billion to the state gross product in 2022

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• As consumers Brazilians contributed $3.8 billion in economic activity which generated more than 29,000 jobs

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• Brazilian entrepreneurs contributed $5.7 billion to the state gross product creating 82,500 direct and indirect jobs

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• Together, they contributed $5.7 million in state income tax and $76.4 million in sales tax

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• Brazilians also contribute to the economic revitalization of many cities in the state with Framingham as an example

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• In their regions of origin, they contribute to economic development through their economic and philanthropic investments

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• In 2010, they sent $4.3 billion in remittances to Brazil - second only to Mexico among Latin America countries

Source: City of Boston Planning Department Research Division, Instituto Diáspora Brasil

THE WORLD OF WORK AND PRODUCTION

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• Diverse workforce - from highly qualified professionals, to medium-skilled workers, to those in low-skill occupations

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• Entrepreneurship on the rise - approximately 24,488 companies, in the areas of real estate development, civil construction, law, accounting, restaurants, domestic services and in the care and aesthetics

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• Need to reduce barriers to employment, increase awareness of civil and worker rights and support for entrepreneurs

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POLITICAL AND CIVIC REPRESENTATION

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• Increased civic and political leadership - strong presence of Brazilian women in leadership positions

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• Growing political representation with the election of three state deputies, a councilwoman and a School Board member

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• Robust media providing practical information and also building community

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• Increase support for community-based organizations and the Brazilian media

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Source: Usideias Comunicação e Pesquisa

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

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• Mental health is a growing concern intensified by the COVID 19 pandemic and increasing anti-immigrant sentiments

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• Limited access to health care services and high healthcare costs. Brazilian women suffer additional challenges - for example, strenuous working hours and domestic violence

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• Promote actions to facilitate access to affordable health services and to increase protection of women and children

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ARTS AND CULTURE

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• Important role in preserving Brazilian cultural identities and language

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• Crucial in promoting intercultural dialogue and mutual respect

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• Need for Increased support for Brazilian arts and culture organizations

Source: Usideias Comunicação e Pesquisa

BRAZILIANS ACROSS GENERATIONS

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• Aging with Dignity – increasing challenges of aging among the first-generation Brazilian immigrants

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• Second generation Brazilians – U.S. born and naturalized – find themselves in “between” – not here, not there trying to construct their identities

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• Need for public policies and programs to promote the integration of young Brazilians and support the well-being of aging Brazilians