A Chat with Maria Drell from the Brazilian Cultural Center of Chicago

The next interview in our series is with Maria Drell, founding member and volunteer board member of the Brazilian Cultural Center of Chicago (BCCC), one of the Alliance's core members. In December 2001, Maria was one of a group of friends who decided to plan a “Brazilian Night Celebration” at a local gallery. Two hundred people, including Brazilians and members of other Chicago communities, were in attendance at the Dara Tribal Village, where they enjoyed live Brazilian music, artwork, books, and artifacts, and sampled Brazilian cuisine. This event underscored the need for an organization to promote and disseminate Brazilian culture in Chicago, and a few months later, the Brazilian Cultural Center of Chicago became a reality.

As their mission states, the BCCC is a nonprofit educational organization that promotes and disseminates information about the diverse peoples of Brazil. The BCCC also aims to foster understanding and appreciation for Brazilian culture, music, art, and dance. One of the organization's goals is to provide resources to the Brazilian community in Chicago, such as educational programs, social events, and cross-cultural exchanges. For example, in March the BCCC hosted a cocktail reception to celebrate Women's International Month and to honor Brazilian writer Frances de Pontes Peebles, who recently published her first book, The Seamstress: A Novel. And on Saturday, May 16, the BCCC, in collaboration with another Alliance member, the Indo-American Center, will present Transplanted Sports as part of Cultural Connection's Bodies in Motion series. Events such as these serve both Brazilians and friends of Brazil, a community that is spread throughout Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. Eventually, as Maria notes, the BCCC plans to obtain a physical space where this community can meet.

For Maria, one of the most rewarding aspects of her involvement with the BCCC has been the opportunity to grow closer to Chicago's Brazilian community. This work is a true labor of love; unfazed by organizational limitations or a busy schedule (she holds a full-time job in addition to her board member duties), Maria embraces opportunities to spread the word about the BCCC. In fact, joining the Alliance has been a significant way for the BCCC to gain exposure, in particular through the Alliance's website. And by facilitating participation in a series of SmARTscope workshops, the Alliance has helped the BCCC to grow its organization and improve its operations. Beyond this, Maria values the Alliance's mission and commitment to cultural diversity, specifically the opportunities it provides for core members like the BCCC to tell their own stories from a first-voice perspective.