Nildo Bonfim, president of Virginia Metal Art Work, talks with Viviane Tanous at the RVA Amigos launch event. (Photo by Jay Paul)
A new enterprise called RVA Amigos USA endeavors to function as a social hub for Latinos in the Richmond region through a thrice-weekly e-newsletter, website and social media.
“We want the community to engage and take advantage of the resources,” says founding partner Gloria Pimenta, who was born in Portugal and has lived in the United States for 44 years. Pimenta’s partner is Val Ribeiro, the Brazilian-born owner of Absolute Stone Design in Ashland.
Pimenta says she wants RVA Amigos to celebrate Latinos’ warmth and diverse culture while dispelling some misconceptions.
“We’re not just washing dishes in the Mexican restaurant,” she says, adding, ”[Latinos are] entrepreneurs. They’re educated people. They’re professionals. It’s wonderful to be Latino.”
The newsletter contains content from correspondents and other sources focusing on news from Latin America and the Iberian Peninsula, as well as upbeat lifestyle articles. Also included are tidbits from member businesses, many of which are owned by Latinos, as well as advocacy organizations such as the League of United Latin American Citizens and organizers of cultural events, including the Latin Jazz and Salsa Festival at Dogwood Dell.
At the RVA Amigos launch on Feb. 23 at the Depot event space in Ashland, Emilio Peiro, a retired soccer player who works with Ribeiro, provided paella, a slow-cooked Spanish rice dish, while attendees socialized and danced to Brazilian music.
Pimenta says RVA Amigos is committed to inclusivity, representing people from across Latin America and the Iberian Peninsula. Its online content is free, but the group is more than a virtual social network; it provides advertising and connections for its business members, who pay $200 ($75 for a one-person operation) per year to join. Efforts are also under way to establish hubs in Florida, Ohio and other states as well as in Panama, Portugal and Macau. “We want to go to other communities and do the same thing and make a difference,” she says.
First International Brazilian/Latino Carnival
RVA Amigos’ opening event will take place from 1 to 6 p.m. on May 12, at Richmond’s Main Street Station, 1500 E. Main St. The carnival will raise money for the Metropolitan Business League, the League of United Latin American Citizens, Wine for Cures and New Minds for the Future. Tickets are $10. 833-342-6446 or rvaamigos.com.
