January 19, 2003
The American Dream
A Presidential Acceptance Message
State Council, Officers, Delegates, Friends and Family,
I sincerely thank each of you for being here today to share this occasion.
I would like to thank the Lord for being here today with you able to stand and walk without assistance.
The ability to do so is not something that many of us ever think about or take into consideration, much like the ability to breath or our heritage, culture, and ethnicity.
I must tell you that I never really thought about it. Growing up in Central California, the daughter of a successful dairyman, farmer, cattleman and land baron, I only felt American, as our family was living the 50’s and 60’s American Dream. I never asked and did not truly appreciate what it took to get my Mom and Dad to that place.
It is not that they didn’t do a great job honoring their culture, they did an amazing job much to my chagrin. There wasn’t a summer between the ages of 5 and 18 that I wasn’t dragged from one Fiesta to another. I participated because I was told to, I never considered the sacrifices my parents made or the meaning behind those cultural traditions and celebrations.
As many of you may know in the 50’s & 60’s & 70’s my Dad, Joe J. Correia and a young, busy, eternally optimistic, supportive, kind, loyal man worked tirelessly, side by side to build the Portuguese Pentecostal Park Association of Visalia, or the PPAV Hall, His name was Rollie Serpa. It was there that I remember meeting Past State President Rollie Serpa, I only knew him as Rollie. He was so young when I started walking in the parades that I wasn’t even required to call him Mr. Serpa.
Rollie and my Dad walked in every parade in those 30 years, in suites, in hundred plus degree temperatures. Now you must know that by the time the parade came around Rollie and my Dad had already been up for three days cooking Soupas, but still, there they were happily walking with the parade making sure nobody fainted on their hoop skirt and ruined their dress. They walked, they smiled, they laughed, I thought they were crazy!
When I was five, my first experience in the celebrations was to be a cape holder. My mom Elvera Correia told me how fun it would be, I would get to have a pink ballerina dress made just for me, I would get to ware a crown, and I would get a brand new pair of tap shoes. It all sounded so great, but it felt pretty bad.
In the very first parade, while we were still lining up the girl next to me was already crying and Rollie came to her rescue. Soon her mother came and took her out of the parade. Just as I was thinking, well, now I know what to do to make my feet stop burning, Rollie leaned over and whispered to me, “You’re a big girl, CarolAnn, you’re going to walk all the way aren’t you honey? Aren’t you honey? Sure you are! Sure you are! It’s ok! I’ll be back to check on you, and Daddy will be around, see there he is, you’re ok.” Before I knew it I was walking. Rollie had a way about him, and it worked! That is pretty much the way I ended up here today.
Cabrillo to me growing up was a curiosity. My Mom & Dad would leave with my God Parents John J. and Lena Cardoza, Joe and Mamie Avila, Frank and Angie Cardoza, and many of you in this room here today, and we wouldn’t see them for days. I always wondered what they did when they were gone and why they spent so much time with other Cabrillians. There were local activities and my brother and sisters would help serve at those events, but the really fun stuff happened when they went to Cabrillo Conventions. What was this Cabrillo, what does that mean, what do they do exactly? I had many questions. There were many stories about Cabrillo Conventions, part formal gala, part fraternity hazing, part serious business, lewd behavior, very auspicious and a little suspicious.
I remember that my Uncle John and Aunt Lena were the funniest people around. How they would sit with my parents and laugh for hours, telling jokes as only my Godfather could. I remember what an honor my Mom said it was for my Uncle John (John J. Cardoza) to become State President of Cabrillo Civic Clubs of California.
I grew up and while living in Nashville, there were those who would ask me about my ethnic culture and I must say that I knew little. I could tell them the stories but inevitably they would ask the cultural significance of the celebrations, and traditions, and I would have little to share.
Eight years ago, after moving back to the Central Valley after more than 10 years away, one day my Mother decided to invite me to a Kings County Cabrillo Club meeting. Guess who was there? “You’re gonna be ok! You’re gonna walk all the way aren’t honey? Aren’t you honey?” Well Rollie, I walked all the way. I thank you, Rollie, your beautiful, amazing wife Judi, my parents, my Uncle John and Aunt Lena for the curiosity that tuned into a wonderful opportunity to learn about Cabrillo Civic Clubs of California.
Cabrillo Civic Clubs of California has allowed me to look back at my Grand Fathers, Grand Mothers, and my Parents, and be so proud to be an American of Portuguese decent. To remember that in the early 40’s my Mom and Dad started with 15 pigs, faith in God, faith in this country and a dream, a clear vision of what they wanted for their family and for themselves. I am proud to be their daughter, proud of their accomplishments, proud that they were strong enough to persevere.
As Juan` Rodrigues Cabrillo stepped onto the tiny shred of land at Point Loma, California, planted a flag in the sand in 1542 stating that he claimed this land as far as the eye could see, so has every American of Portuguese decent since that day. As my grand father’s feet hit the land that is America he claimed this beautiful county for his own stating “this country is my country as far as the I can see and all that I can dream can be mine.” That was and is the American Dream. My grandfathers and grand mothers, my father and mother passed that dream on to their children while honoring God first, America second and honoring the rich cultural traditions of the past. I pray that my children will always treasure and savor the richness of their culture and all that it means to be an American of Portuguese decent.
We are Proud Americans of Portuguese decent; from Juan` Rodrigues Cabrillo to each of us in this room here today, proud Americans. I leaned what Cabrillo means. I learned from Mr. Ed Nunes, that Cabrillo Civic Clubs of California was founded to help people of all cultures become American Citizens through the Americanization Program, that Cabrillo Civic Clubs of California was founded to promote and provide education through scholarships to graduating seniors, nearly one hundred each year. I learned from Senator Jim Costa while he spoke during Ken Costa’s Presidential installation that Cabrillo Civic Clubs of California provides tens of thousands of dollars to over one hundred charities every year while also providing hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours to local communities through the Civic Affairs program. He also shared that Cabrillo Civic Clubs of California is ranked in the top five organizations in California each year for their efforts to provide all of the above.
As we stand a country poised on the edge of war, I pray that no one you know will be asked to give the ultimate sacrifice to preserve the American Dream for the generations to come.
It is a great honor to stand before you here today as your State President. I look forward to serving you in 2003. I have watched outgoing President Richard Borges closely over the last past year. He has set a high bar that I hope to meet with God’s help and your ever-present support and encouragement. I wish to thank my installing Officer, Mrs. Judi Serpa and installing Marshals Frankie and Irene Ferreira for being here today and so graciously agreeing to preside over the ceremonies. I thank you for all of your wisdom and encouragement through the years. I would like to thank outgoing President Richard Borges and his wife Mary for their kindness, friendship and ever-present support, to Joe Coelho, Sharon Toste, Annamaraie Barros, it has been a pleasure serving with you. I thank you for all of your wisdom and council. To Secretary Jacqui Autin, you have been my friend and confidant, as well as the best State Secretary CabrilIo Clubs of California has ever known. I am so grateful to you and to your husband Breck for your friendship, council and all that you do. I would like to thank Tulare County Cabrillo Club # 12 for their graciousness and generosity. The accommodations were fabulous, the basket lovely. I wish to also thank my home club Kings County Cabrillo Club #9, Frankie & Pat Scialo, there simply are not enough words to say how grateful I am to you, and to everyone who has shown such kindness, loyalty and support. I will do my best to make you proud.
I will never take for granted again, the ability to walk. Thank you, and God Bless America!
CarolAnn Sampietro
State President
2003
Copyright © 2002 Cabrillo Civic Clubs of California