The Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS) will honor Manny Lopes, Executive Vice-President of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, with the MAPS 2023 Person of the Year Award at the organization’s April 22nd, 2023, fundraising gala at the Royal Sonesta Hotel, in Cambridge, MA. Nailze Lima, Intake Coordinator, Support Staff, and Interpreter at MetroWest Legal Services will receive the MAPS Mary & Manuel Rogers Lifetime Community Service Award, and Paul Ferreira, President of the Cambridge Printing Company, will be honored with the MAPS Álvaro Lima Outstanding Business Award.
Cape Verdean-American Manny Lopes has dedicated his career to making healthcare accessible to underserved populations. The MAPS 2023 Person of the Year Award recipient serves as the Executive Vice President, Public Markets and Government Relations, for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and worked for nearly three decades as President and Chief Executive Officer of East Boston Neighborhood Health Center, the largest community health center in the state. Lopes is being honored for his impactful history of developing programs that improve healthcare quality, access, and equity.
“Manny is a highly respected and admired leader in our community,” said MAPS CEO Paulo Pinto, MPA. “It’s a pleasure to honor him as the MAPS 2023 Person of the Year and recognize not only his commitment to making healthcare accessible but his inspirational life story as a child of Cape Verdean immigrants who overcame many barriers to become an example of leadership and a role model to many in our community.”
Brazilian-American Nailze Lima is being honored with the MAPS 2023 Mary & Manuel Rogers Lifetime Community Service Award. For the past 26 years, Lima has worked as an Intake Worker, Support Staff, and Interpreter at Metrowest Legal Services, an organization that provides free civil legal aid to low-income people and victims of crime. During her time there, she has helped countless low-income immigrants in the MetroWest region, especially in the Brazilian community, to access much-needed free legal services, navigate the U.S. legal system, and get connected to social services providers such as MAPS.
“We are very happy to honor Nailze for her many years of dedicated service to so many immigrants that choose Massachusetts to be their home,” said Pinto. “Her hard work has made a positive impact on the lives of many in our communities and is truly worthy of recognition.”
The MAPS 2023 Álvaro Lima Outstanding Business Award will go to Paul Ferreira, owner of the Cambridge Printing Company for 25 years. The Portuguese-American has built a thriving business with an excellent reputation that provides high-quality printing, graphic design, direct mail, and other services. Ferreira is also highly involved with the community, serving on the Board of Naveo Credit Union and East Cambridge Business Association. In addition, he is very supportive of many nonprofit, community-based organizations, including MAPS and others.
“Paul is a longtime supporter of MAPS and a role model of immigrant success and entrepreneurship,” said Paulo Pinto. “We are very happy to recognize his leadership and many years of dedication to his business and the community in greater Cambridge.”
“On behalf of the MAPS Board of Directors, I want to congratulate these three outstanding community leaders,” said MAPS Board President Antonio Massa Viana, Esq. “The entire organization is looking forward to celebrating their numerous accomplishments and their invaluable service to our community.”
The Annual Awards Gala is MAPS’ main fundraiser and supports the organization’s many free health and social services. To learn more about sponsorship and advertising opportunities, please visit maps-inc.org/gala2023 or contact Lois Josimovich, MAPS Director of Development, at ljosimovich@maps-inc.org, or by calling 617-864-7600.
MAPS has served the Portuguese-speaking communities of Massachusetts and others since 1970. The organization offers free health and social services through its six offices in Cambridge, Somerville, Brighton, Dorchester, Framingham, and Lowell. To learn more about MAPS, visit maps-inc.org.