Brazil in Chicago was founded in 2006 to promote Brazilian culture and Portuguese language in Chicago. It offers Portuguese language classes for adults and children, as well as cultural activities. The organization is transitioning to a non-profit organization called Casa Brasil to more effectively promote culture through events, exhibits and festivals using funds from Brazil and the US. The first board of directors was announced in 2010 and includes professionals and community members passionate about Brazil-US cultural exchange.

1. Promoting Brazilian Culture and Portuguese Language in Chicago Since 2006
Brazil In Chicago

2. TABLE OF CONTENTS
Our History. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Our Staff. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Offering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Student Snapshot. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Casa Brasil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Our Board of Directors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Moving Forward. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
OUR History
Brazil in Chicago was founded in October of 2006, by Marcelo
Jarmendia. While he was confident that Brazil’s imminent
economic boom would generate a demand for the Portuguese
language, Marcelo had to overcome big obstacles in order
to open a school dedicated exclusively to the Portuguese
language: He had no employment authorization, absolutely
no credit, and had just been diagnosed with HIV.
But the demand already existed. Within merely a month
after opening its doors, the school already had eight group
classes. Since then, our growth has been quite impressive:
in 2007 we grew 42%; in 2008, 54%. The following year,
even while holding a 93% market share, we grew 25%.
After 2009 we have been keeping a steady growth of 15%.
It did not take long until Marcelo had to hire other teachers
to keep up with the growing demand.
Since 2009 we are located at the Historic Alleyhouse
of Lincoln Square, build in 1893.
1 Brazil In Chicago

3. OUR STAFF
Our founder and president, Marcelo Jarmendia, with our assistant
director Victoria Carmona. Our team of instructors.
Iris Bradley Adrianne Elias
Sofia Ladi Ariani Marco
Marcelo Jarmendia Teachers
Marcelo Jarmendia was born in Bauru, São Paulo state. He The team at Brazil in Chicago is as diverse as Brazil. We
grew up in the city of São Paulo and graduated in Social currently have teachers from São Paulo (Marco and Sofia),
Sciences from the University of São Paulo. During the five Paraná (Ladi), Rio Grande do Sul (Ariani) and Pernambuco
years in which he studied at USP, Marcelo also taught (Elias). In the past four years, we have also had teachers
Spanish to several companies in São Paulo. On his vacations, from other Brazilian states: MS, RJ, MG, BA, AM and CE.
Marcelo would visit different cities in the United States. The Also like Brazil, Brazil in Chicago welcomes foreigners
last of these visits was in Chicago, months after graduating, with open arms. For our mission of promoting the language
in 2004. of Camões would not be accomplished without connecting
Marcelo has always had a big interest for International the two sides of the Atlantic with the Portuguese tongue.
Relations and for languages - whether it was studying As it happens, for almost two years, we have been offering
or teaching them. In less than a month after his arrival in European Portuguese, taught by Iris Vilares, from Lisbon.
Chicago, Marcelo began teaching Spanish and Portuguese Additionally, our team also has two American teachers:
to people of several nationalities. With the knowledge Bradley, who grew up in Salvador; and Adrianne, who
in Anthropology, Sociology and Political Science that he lived in São Paulo.
recently acquired in college, he always incorporated a
significant amount of Brazilian culture into his classes. Despite their differences, all of our teachers have degrees in
humanities, and extensive experience teaching languages.
Marcelo’s services would soon be recommended to several
people interested in learning his language. Their interest Marcelo could not administer the school and manage this
in Portuguese grew for various reasons, whether it was team without the help of his right hand, Victoria Carmona.
because they would travel soon, were married to Brazilians, Our Assistant Director grew up as an Argentine; her parents
or were taking Samba classes. It did not take too long before are from Buenos Aires and they moved to the U.S. a few
his schedule was full. After renting a classroom in an Italian months before she was born. Victoria gratuated with a
language school, Marcelo decided to open his own school. degree in Linguistics and International Relations from the
University of Chicago, and currently studies Law at Loyola
After exactly two years after his arrival, Marcelo opened University.
the doors of Brazil in Chicago. Since then, Marcelo plays
an important role in his community: He helps preserve
the identity of Brazilians living in the US; he promotes the
work of Brazilian organizations, professionals, and artists in
Chicago; he offers services that prepares non-Brazilians to
have better experiences when dealing with Brazil or Brazilians;
and he contributes to the economy, by paying taxes, creating
jobs and hiring the services of several companies and
individuals.
2 Brazil In Chicago

4. OFFERINGS
Classes
Brazil in Chicago offers courses for all ages. For adults we offer regular
Portuguese classes, Portuguese for Spanish speakers, cross-cultural
training and specific courses, such as “Brazil, Language and Culture
through Brazilian Cinema”; “Bate-Papo”; and “Brazil, History and Society”.
We also offer cooking classes and Brazilian dance classes.
For Brazilians, we offer English and Spanish classes.
We also have classes for kids and teens, most of them of Brazilian descent.
3 Brazil In Chicago

5. OFFERINGS Continued
Cultural ACTIVITIES
Besides classes, we have held and continue to offer several cultural
activities, among them:
• Working in Brazil Seminar”, taught by Edilson Ramos, a headhunter from São Paulo.
• Cachaça tasting, with two members of the Brotherhood of the Pierced Glass,
two experts of artisan cachaça (Kede and Claudia), and Phil Gomes, editor of
Cachaçagora, which is the most read blog in English on the subject.
• Brazilian short movies screening, with director Fábio Cruz.
• Brazlian film screenings.
Top Left; Making samba at one of our picnics
at the park, near Montrose beach.
Top Right; With a group of students at the U.S.-Brazil
soccer match at the Solder Field, in 2008.
Above; Mr. Kede preparing the final details
for our cachaça tasting.
Left; Brazilian short movies exhibit at our school,
during the Chicago Latino Film Festival of 2009
4 Brazil In Chicago

6. Student Snapshot
INTEREST DEMOGRAPHICS
Brazil in Chicago has had over 600 students from more than Generaly speaking, we can say that most our students are of
45 countries. Some of them came to us because they were young professionals (betweeen the ages of 19 and 38) and
dating or were married to Brazilians; Others because they were multicultural (they have already studied another language).
doing activities related to Brazilian culture (Samba, Capoeira,
AGE
Jiu-jitsu, Music, etc). Many other students enroll for the simple
passion for languages. Lately, thanks to the booming of the 6% 19-23
Brazilian economy, we have had students whose interest is 36% 24-29
35% 30-38
linked to professional and economic opportunities in Brazil. 15% 39-45
8% 45+
WHY Portuguese
8% Brazilian Culture
14% Loved One(S)
22% Passion For Languages
2% Study In Brazil
22% Travel
32% Work/Business
Languages spoken, besides English
54% Spanish
29% None
5% French
5% Multiple
4% Other
Something we deeply care about at Brazil in Chiago is the 2% German
1% Italian
growing lack of interest in Brazilian culture among those
1% Portuguese
who wish to study Portuguese. It is not difficult to make the 1% Arabic
connection between the increase of students interested in
learning Portuguese for business and the decrease of interest
in our culture.
CHANGE IN INTEREST 2006 - Present
Ethnicity
9% African-American
3% Asian
3% Brazilian Descendant
31% Hispanic
1% Middle Eastern
1% Other
52% White
-8% Brazilian Culture
-3% Loved One(S)
+6% Passion For
-2% Study In Brazil
-2% Travel SPANISH SPEAKERs
+9% Work/Business
We are the only school to offer specific classes for Spanish
speakers, whether they are native or second language speakers.
The Hispanic community represent one third of our students,
while classes for Spanish speakers represent half of both
revenue and number of students.
5 Brazil In Chicago

7. CASA BRASIL
Despite the increase in volume of students and revenue, thanks Vision
to the expansion of the Brazilian economy, we do not want to To be the premier destination for persons,
stop promoting Brazilian culture. So far we have been doing an organizations and businesses interested in
exceptional job: after the students complete a course they fill our Brazilian culture and the Portuguese language.
surveys where they indicate to be extremely satisfied with the
cultural aspects learned in class - even those who had no interest
Mission
in culture when they first enrolled. Our mission is to be an outstanding center
of Brazilian cultural exchange and Portuguese
However our resources are limited. And with the current model - a for-profit
language instruction. We will attract and
corporation - our reserves to promote culture are low. To face this problem,
retain exceptional educators, sponsors and
Marcelo decided to turn his company into a non-profit organization. Our
partners to foster Brazilian culture at every
NPO, Casa de Cultura Brasileira (CCB), is expected to be approved by
interest and experience level. Through core
the state of Illinois in August 2011. Also called Casa Brasil, this organization
activities such as Portuguese language
will promote Brazilian culture through events, exhibits and festivals. By
classes; cultural events featuring cuisine,
raising funds from the governments and corporations of both Brazil and
dance, music, film and art; collaboration
the U.S., CCB will be able to acquire Brazil in Chicago assets and build
with complementary organizations and
Cultural Centers in the United States, starting in Chicago.
businesses; and participation in our local
communities, we will be the destination for
all things Brazilian.
6 Brazil In Chicago

8. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The announcement of the transition from corporation Daione Mitchell
to NPO was made at the end of 2010, when Marcelo
called a meeting to the general public. Forty people Daione was born in Salvador, Brazil but moved
to the US when she was 10 years old. She has
came: Brazilians, students, members of the artistic
lived in Los Angeles, New York, Washington
and business community. It was not easy to pick, but D.C. and currently resides in Chicago and
for practical reasons we decided to limit our Board to maintains dual citizenship. She is married
ten members. Below are their biographies: and has two children. She and her family
enjoy traveling and are excited about the 2014 World Cup and
Mariana Sgarbi 2016 Olympics in Brazil. She currently works for GEM Realty
Capital, a real estate investment company that invests in
Mariana was raised in Brazil and received private-market real estate assets and publicly traded real
her two undergraduate degrees from Brazil- estate securities. She attended American University in
ian universities. She graduated in Interna- Washington D.C. where she received an International
tional Relations from the University of Business Degree. She stays active year round playing
Brasilia and received her Bachelors in Law soccer, participating in running and cycling races, and
from CEUB. Her post graduate degrees during the summers she also does triathlons.
were obtained in England and in the United States, both in
Law. When living in Brazil, Mariana was a practicing attorney Guilherme Kalili
at Pinheiro Neto Advogados. In 2001 Mariana’s husband was
relocated to Argentina where her family lived for three years. Guilherme is originally from Säo Paulo, but
In Buenos Aires, Mariana was seconded to Beccar Varela moved to Chicago 6 years ago to work for a
Abogados for Brazilian matters, including the liaison with the large international bank. At that time it was a
Embassy of Brazil in Buenos Aires. The United States was the great career opportunity, and his plan was to
next step Mariana took to acompany her husband to another stay for 2-3 years. After 2 years living in
ex-patriate experience. Her legal career was interrupted but Chicago he met his now wife, Gina. Gina has
not her will to pursue other paths. In 2006 Mariana founded a been a student at BIC for 2 years, that’s how Guilherme met
Brazilian mother’s group in the city of Indianapolis which is Marcelo and learned about all the great work he is doing to
still active with 145 mother enrolled. In 2009 Mariana founded promote our language, culture and values. He has 14+ years of
a group of the same nature in Illinois, in the city of Chicago. In experience in finance and risk related areas in the USA and Brazil.
two years, the Chicago group has enrolled 230 mothers.
Mariana’s main goal with both groups is to instill Brazil’s Coryn Shiflet
culture and language in her own two children and the children
of Brazilian families. Mariana currently presides both mother’s Coryn is passionate about all things Brazilian.
groups in the Midwest, volunteers for non-profit institutions Her love for Brazil began in 2004 when
and runs her own small home based business of hand-made she enrolled in an honors course at Penn
jewelry design. State called ‘Brazilian Art & Culture’ and
traveled to Brazil for the first time. She
Ryan Whitmore was hooked and spent her graduate
studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Ryan Whitmore is the Chief Operating studying Brazilian topics, learning Portuguese and thanks
Officer and Co-Founder of the Caregiver to a Foreign Language Area Studies Fellowship spent six
Relief Fund and The Wisdom Flame, weeks in Salvador, Bahia in a language immersion program.
organizations which aid families with their Her adoration for ‘all things Brazilian’ continued in Chicago
caregiving journeys. Ryan is also involved where in addition to serving on the board of directors she is
in other entrepreneurial ventures focused also continuing her Portuguese language studies with Brazil
on Brazil. Prior to this Ryan was a sell-side analyst at Howe in Chicago and dances in a samba group with the Old Town
Barnes Hoefer & Arnett, a boutique investment bank. Before School of Folk Music called Folia Brasil. She currently works
his role as an analyst Ryan worked as a trader on the Chicago at the International Office at Northwestern University as an
Stock Exchange. He is a CFA Charterholder and graduated International Student and Scholar Advisor with incoming
from the University of Southern Indiana. Ryan has been a and current international students, faculty, staff and families
student at Brazil in Chicago for over 3 years and is very on issues related to their immigration status, programming
excited to help Casa Brasil grow as a non-profit organization. needs, and cultural adjustment. She especially enjoys
meeting and practicing her Portuguese with any and all
Brazilians that she meets!
7 Brazil In Chicago

9. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Continued
Brian Fitzpatrick Jeff Frank
Brian has recently moved to Chicago after Jeff is Midwest born and raised, but has
having lived in Säo Paulo the past 3.5 years also lived in New York, Los Angeles and
while working there, as well as throughout Chicago for the past 30 years. He is a tax
much of Latin America. He has an MBA attorney by training.; He co-founded a law
from Kellogg and his professional back- firm in 1991, but withdrew in 2002 and
ground is multi functional and multi-industry, became “of counsel” so he could pursue
though currently he is the Executive Director of Strategy social justice activities.
of Kaplan, one of the biggest education corporations in
He first traveled to Brazil in 2002 to attend the World Social
the world.
Forum in Porto Alegre and fell in love with the people and
Patricia Bingue culture. Also he became involved with the Movimento Sem
Terra. Upon returning to the U.S., he became involved with
Patricia is Haitian by roots and Carioca by the Friends of the MST becoming National Coordinator in 2009.
passion. She has been involved with BIC
Jeff also began pro bono legal work in civil liberties,
as a student on & off since the days of our
representing social movements, and serves on the board
first movie showing at Casa Italiana.
of the National Lawyers Guild, an association of progressive
Her career started of as a software engineer attorneys formed in 1937. He began working with attorneys
for Motorola, where she progressively moved in Brazil representing the MST and other social movements,
into Management Consulting. After leaving the world of including attorneys with Rede Nacional dos Advogados/as
manufacturing, she worked in several other industries Populares and Rede Social de Justiça e Direitos Humanos.
(Insurance, marketing, education, culture/ international
He began learning Portuguese a few years ago and has
trade). Currently she is an Independent Operations Consultant
been studying with Brazil in Chicago for about 3 years.
with a focus on the Latin America Region and non-profit/
cultural types of organizations.
Teo Ornelas
She has also practiced capoeira (Baiana is her capoeira
Teo is from São Paulo and currently works
name). She believes Brazil is a power house and is setting
as a management consultant for Bain &
the stage for the other countries in the LATAM region to follow.
Company in the Chicago office. He
To her, this Cultural Center is natural extension of that image
focuses on transformational strategic
and responsibility.
initiatives specifically related to customer
Courtney Lochner and marketing strategy. Teo helped
companies in the retail, telecommunications, hospitality and
Courtney Lochner graduated from the agribusiness industries to achieve higher revenues and
University of Paris, Sorbonne with a B.A. profits. Prior to joining Bain in 2009 Teo received his MBA
in French and the University of Minnesota from Kellogg School of Management of Northwestern
with a B.A. in Communication Studies in University where he majored in Marketing, Strategy, Statistics
Intercultural Groups. Having lived in five and Economics. Previously he worked for 5 years as a
countries and on three continents, management consultant for Accenture in São Paulo, Brazil.
Courtney’s love for cultural immersion and understanding
Teo worked with Brazil in Chicago in many occasions. Teo
began at a young age and led to her obsession with
helped BiC better understand and target specific customer
linguistics. Today she is a Senior Manager at Marketing
segment and the value inherent to the school’s operations.
Werks, an experiential marketing agency where she over-
sees the experiential marketing campaigns for Verizon and
Sony Electronics and is a strategic consultant for the LEGO
Systems, Inc. account. As a freelance writer, her work can
be found in Transitions Abroad, AOL Travel, Glamour
Magazine, and she has a novel is set for release in 2013.
8 Brazil In Chicago

10. LOOKING FORWARD
Left; Preparing the next generations for a more multicultural
world, where Brazil will be an important player.
Below; Working together with other Latino organizations
to strength our identity and unity, in events like Chicago’s
1st Latin American Festival, in 2011.
Bottom; Building bridges between Brazil and other
cultures, one class at a time.
OUR NETWORK
Since the beginning of Brazil in Chicago,
and especially now as Casa de Cultura
Brasileira, we work closely with organizations
in the academy and civil society that deal
with Brazil. Our main partners are the Brazilian
Mothers of Illinois and Partners of the
Americas - São Paulo-Illinois chapter.
Online Presence
Brazil in Chicago has a strong presence
in social media. Our blog is about to be
launched and will feature news of interest of
both our students and the Brazilian community Our organization has a big presence in different aspects of Brazilian
living in Chicago. culture and Portuguese language. In 2010 Brazil in Chicago sponsored
Our Facebook page is “liked” by 340 people; the first Brazilian Business Network of Chicago. Recently, we
our newsletter has more than 900 subscribers. represented Brazil in the First Latin American Cultural Festival of
We also have a YouTube channel and a Chicago, in partnership with the Brazilian Mothers of Illinois and
Twitter account. For those interested in
the Capoeira school Gingarte.
business opportunities, we also have a
LinkedIn account. In September we will have our big event to celebrate Brazilian independence
day. We will have a Cultural Fair where each Brazilian state will be represented
by the Brazilian families living in Illinois, with the help of our students. This
experience will be unique for both the children of Brazilians living in the
U.S. and for all non-Brazilians interested in Brazil. Through this event we
hope to raise funds to start the transfer of assets from Brazil in Chicago
to Casa de Cultura Brasileira.
We will also be sponsoring the II Brazilian Film Festival of Chicago, which
will be in November, by Partners of the Americas.
9 Brazil In Chicago

11. 2212 w Sunnyside Ave.
Chicago, IL 60625
312.284.1737
www.brazilinchicago.com