Vineyard Caribbean: One love
From the warm-spirited patois of the taxi drivers when you land on Martha’s Vineyard soil to the rich Caribbean flavors on many of the menus around the Island, you can feel the Jamaican presence...
Second Acts: Zachary Townes
“When I grow up, I want to be a policeman.” Think of how many little kids say that. Most, as they get older, find other paths, and rarely look back. But not Zachary Towne: “Growing up...
Elio Silva: A Brazilian Entrepreneur
The word for ‘entrepreneur’ translated from Brazilian Portuguese is: ‘empreendedor.’ And Elio Silva embodies that word.
Since he emigrated 36 years ago from Brazil, a country with a deep tradition for entrepreneurship, Silva has certainly...
The drive to fly
Capt. Carole Hopson sparkles. She exudes joy, has the vibrancy of a shooting star, and appears to be as driven as Kobe Bryant, Simone Biles, and Sheryl Sandberg combined. A few of Hopson’s accomplishments...
Second Acts: Stephanie Browne
Stephanie Browne’s labor of love — introducing others to the joys of good wine — has brought together two very significant, but seemingly unrelated pieces of local history. First, the name of the Island:...
The power of storytelling
Talking to Polly Simpkins is inspiring, which is not entirely surprising, given that part of her life’s work is to inspire others. Simpkins is a ceremonialist, Interfaith Minister, DJ at MVY Radio, death doula,...
Arielle Reid Faria, a trailblazing woman
When it comes to trailblazing women who are changing the world, Martha’s Vineyard's very own Arielle Reid Faria is a leader you need to know.
Arielle’s roots on the Vineyard run deep, and her public...
Education connects
According to Brown University Library, nearly all Brazilian immigrants come to the U.S. in search of higher wages, lower living costs, and a desire to escape the inflation that plagued Brazil until 1994. Even...
Second Acts: Morgen Schroeder
“If I can wax poetic about cheese for a second …”
After you study civil engineering in college, and pursue a career in construction in Dallas and commercial real estate in New York, it should...
The art of research
Vineyard resident Márcia De Castro Borges, who lived in Brazil until 2019, is a visual anthropologist, educator, and writer who investigates the relationships between image, history, memory, and identity. Borges focuses and reflects on...
Taking off – Flying with John Levinson
The first time I flew on an airplane I was 16 years old, heading to Florida to meet my paternal grandmother. I didn’t know what to expect — from her or the flight —...
Estela Cardoso’s Journey
Estela Cardoso, who is deaf and lives on the Vineyard, lives at the crossroads of the Island’s history with the historic deaf community and contemporary Island life, where there are few deaf people and...
‘Grease and Grit’
Andrea Dello Russo’s journey to becoming a mother, educator, motorcycle rider, and business owner running a successful auto repair shop here on the Vineyard is a circuitous and compelling tale. “Grease and Grit: A...
Second Acts: Lucian Nastasi
Lucian Nastasi considers himself lucky. Lucky that he was raised by a loving Romanian family who valued education. Lucky he learned to speak English starting in the second grade (with help from the Cartoon...
In the service of others
Rachel Elion Baird is a multitalented conceptual artist and author who uses a range of media, plus poetry and music, besides having a full-time healing practice. She is also a delegate for Servas International,...
Second Acts: Jovana Balaban
How does a young woman from a landlocked Eastern European country, educated to become a literature and language teacher, end up a serial entrepreneur on the Island of Martha’s Vineyard? Jovana Balaban’s story is...
Second Acts: NaDaizja Bolling
From as long as she can remember, NaDaizja Bolling spent her summers on Martha’s Vineyard. Raised near Boston, she went off to Syracuse University to study public health, but came back to the Vineyard...
Second Acts: Irene Ziebarth and Doug West
Doug West began coming to Martha’s Vineyard in summers as a kid, back in 1952, and later his family bought a cottage in Oak Bluffs. When he met Irene Ziebarth in California, she had...
‘A home away from home’
Even without kids, I’m aware of the fabulous children’s librarians in our local libraries. All you need to do is read the myriad of programs they offer — and hear the squeals coming from...
Stars among us: Howard Attebery and Cynthia Riggs
Cynthia Riggs never expected Howard (“Howie”) Attebery to come back into her life 60-plus years after meeting him. But he did. And the rest, as they say, is history. To catch you up to...