About me
Only recent I found this site, and I’m glad I did, when I met jenergy at the United Nations meets web 2.0 Conference in NY City and became fascinated with the work she and her team are doing around the world, and all the people they inspire.

Allow me to share with you a bit of my life, I was born in a village with population no bigger than some medium sized schools in the USA, 500 residents at the time…hehe…talk about everyone knowing your business.

I lived there until my early teens and couldn’t help to feel as though I wanted to be part of something completely different, at the time I could not really explain those weird feeling but today I realize that at the tender age of eight years old, I already was a philanthropist, wanting to help people around me, travel the world and meet new civilizations and cultures.

I began by joining the Combonianos Missionary in Viseu, whose function was to travel around the world spreading Christianity, but more specifically in Africa. The funny thing is that I joined for two reasons, one because of what I previously mentioned the other to get away from a troubled household filled with violence. So much so that on the day I brought home the application card to be accepted into the mission, I got a beating for writing down that my father was an immigrant, who was at the time working in the USA.

There were a few more unpleasant experiences that compounded onto my feelings of completely wanting to vanish from the face of the earth, although I feel it’s not appropriate to mention here, but I can tell you this, I understand what a person goes through when they are psychologically, spiritually and physically abused by human beings that are supposed to be trustworthy. Having said that I can also say I feel honored to have survived the trial of suicide and today be part of an organization where I can share my past and hopefully offer hope to those in the same situation as me.

I arrive in the USA at the age of fourteen, where I spent the next six years coping with all that had happened and experimenting different lifestyles. What did it for me was when I met a young lady who could see through the hard exterior fortress I built around me, and became my first and true friend….

That is a very important word for me…FRIEND….I never knew what that word meant until I found its proper meaning. Not just what’s on a dictionary but what does your heart tell you it means! Someone who can love you for who you truly are, accepts your ideas without prejudgment or bias, and wants to be part of your life without asking for anything in return. I had a revelation, never in my life had I met a person willing to accept me for who I was…..I hope as you read this that someone exists in your life that embraces who you are….

I barely graduated from High school, since I hated everyone there, and at the age of twenty one I started my own construction company. I was doing very well until the age of twenty four where I lost everything I owned. That’s when I learned another important lesson, walk softly but carry a big stick. What that means is that I had no leverage, an ex-partner took everything in my business, add to that clients that decided to file for bankruptcy, and I’m left with thousands in debt and not being able to pay. But I stood my ground and through other ventures that I started through the years was able to pay off everyone owed, and let me tell you that is a great feeling.

And so I bring you to the latest seven years of my life, the most fascinating period, where I’m part of an amazing Not-for-Profit organization, called the Positive Vibrations Always Foundation, (PVANGO.org) whose mission is to create awareness-in-action and service learning programs to tackle the Millennium Development Goals, by getting schools, communities leaders and government officials involved in making the Goals a reality within their own neighborhoods.

I’m the Music director for the Livelyup Music for solidarity tour, which is a program run by PVANGO creating awareness about the Millennium Developments goals in schools and communities through Music and art. We visit schools and explain the importance of Saving the World by Helping Your Neighbor™ concept.

I have my own radio hour at a local radio station, which along with my Partner in the organization, we talk about positivity and hope, on Monday nights from 9 to 10 pm Eastern time, you can go to Radiofamilia.com and click on the radio button to listen.

A local teacher, not at any real school but I use Music to teach people to learn how to speak English and currently working on getting the English course publicized worldwide. It’s a technique that I got the inspirations from another friend I met a few years ago and now He’s my partner, the Founder of PVANGO, Alessandro Piovezahn.

I also have a regular job for a prominent local construction company where I’m the sales manager in charge of their union division.

Now brings me to my most important and privileged job of them all, whose functions I’m learning day by day. I’m a father of three beautiful and lovely children. Kayla, my oldest at nine years young, and my set of twin boys at three years old.

So what do I see for my future?

WORLD DOMINATION…..MMMMUUUUUUUAAAAAAHHHHHH….right?

Great Many things, the fulfillment of the Millennium Development Goals, with the help of the people I meet of course, it would be a miracle if anyone of us alone could achieve such a tremendous undertaking.

In my point of view, I can see a wonderful, peaceful and lively world. Youth is the epicenter of all willingness to achieving great and glorious works. The problem beforehand is the stronghold some adults seem to have to shatter, control and diminish the youth’s active role and power in today’s society. I grew up in the midst of abusive and controlling environment. Intend to let the whole world know that youthivizm is alive and well and a great force to be reckoned with. Nothing brings me more pleasure than giving students tools and ability to express themselves towards what they feel is important to them.

I hope I didn’t bore you too much, but I would like to leave you with one last thought…..if you could change your past, would you really want to? Only recent I found this site, and I’m glad I did, when I met jenergy at the United Nations meets web 2.0 Conference in NY City and became fascinated with the work she and her team are doing around the world, and all the people they inspire.... (more)