Carla Monteiro earned an Associate’s degree in Human Services and a Substance Abuse Counseling Certificate from Quincy College, her BSW from Bridgewater State University, and an MSW from the Boston College School of Social Work. She is the Founder and President of the Cape Verdean Social Workers Association and serves on the Board of Directors at Nos Di Tchada I Amigos. Carla is a member of the National Association of Black Social Workers, Greater Boston Chapter, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and the National Association of Social Workers, MA-Chapter. In 2019, Carla was appointed as one of 277 elected delegates for the National Association of Social Workers Delegate Assembly slate for Massachusetts. She is also a Big Sister with the Big Sisters Association of Greater Boston.

Last year, Carla joined colleagues and refugee organizations to aid migrants during a trip to the border of Arizona/Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. In 2017, She traveled to Washington DC with Bridgewater State University and Youth Service Opportunity Project (YSOP) to support people who were experiencing homelessness. Carla previously worked with incarcerated men and women at the Suffolk County House of Correction and Nashua Street Jail. Carla is a certified Reiki II Practitioner and currently works for the Bridge Clinic, a substance use clinic at Brigham and Women’s Hospital . Carla has a well-established legacy of relentless advocacy for disenfranchised minorities and those in need.

This past May Carla was the honoree for the “Future of Social Work Award” by the National Association of Social Workers-Massachusetts Chapter. In 2020, Carla will receive the "Alfred J. Gomes Community Service Award" from The Afro-American Alumni Association at Bridgewater State University.

Delia Gonçalves joined the WUSA9 team in June 2010. Delia got her first break in the business right here in Washington at the U.S. Senate Radio-TV Gallery and at NBC Network News. She then left D.C. to pursue her on-camera reporting endeavors which took her back to her native New England.

Delia spent five years crisscrossing the region, working at several stations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Before returning to the nation's capital, Delia spent four years in Baltimore where she was named Baltimore's Best Reporter in 2009. Delia is passionate about reporting the facts, challenging the status quo and telling compelling stories at the heart of our community.

Delia is a first generation Cape Verdean-American born in New Bedford, Massachusetts of immigrant parents who taught her the invaluable lessons of faith, hard work and perseverance.

She now lives in D.C. with her husband and three daughters.

Jessica Andrade is a Brooklyn born multi-talented entertainer and social media's next raising star. With her eccentric, brash and physical comedic stylings, Jessica Andrade showcases the everyday paradox of growing up Cape Verdean while now residing in Massachusetts.

Inspired by her immigrant parents, she pays homage to her cultural roots through skits and hosting comedy shows. Jessica has a natural ability to connect with a diverse audience. She attributes her gift from her high school days as she attended five different schools.

Jessica Andrade is a co-host on The Soapboxx podcast, giving her authentic unfiltered commentary on the latest news and trending topics.

She also is a graduate of Bridgewater State University with a degree in Communication. Off the stage, family comes first as Jessica is a mother of two beautiful boys.

Jennifer Barbosa-Clegg is better known as the guru consultant of health benefits and financial services-an individual life and health insurance and financial literacy consulting agency.

Dr. Chantal Gomes is 32-year-old Cape-Verdean American originally from Massachusetts but currently in California “Living the dream” as a third year internal medicine resident and rising chief resident at a safety-net hospital.

Reshon Witter is a motivational mentor, author, and creative entrepreneur. She is the founder of theRAWproject, a self love blog and organization where they empower the community through art and aesthetics. theRAWproject started as a personal self-love journey and has evolved into creating poetry/typography prints to help inspire others through hardship. Her poetry book Neoteric tells her story from overcoming depression to discovering self-love and can be found on Amazon. For more information, you can find her on Instagram @therawprojectlifestyle and my personal @heyy_raw.

Lenira Querido is a Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Activist. Lenira uses her voice and social media platform to advocate for domestic violence and sexual assault victims. She is the founder of Kriola Empowering Kriola, an organization that offers support and a safe space to women in need.

Sherrie Mendes is a young, professional, single-mother, who decided to go against societal, cultural, and religious norms in order to gain her own wholeness and happiness as a woman and mother. As a Cape Verdean American and preacher’s daughter, Sherrie had a great upbringing, however, the expectations of how she should be as a woman and mother were great. As a result, she decided to join the US Air Force, to gain independence and create a career path. She is currently a veteran and has been working within Government agencies as Contracts Professional, writing and negotiations contracts for over 22 years now. Outside of her career, starting with a peer counseling program in high school and with great inspiration from her father, Sherrie became passionate about women’s health and overall well-being. She co-hosted multiple women’s support groups through the years with this focus in mind. The group name was ‘Sisters-Supporting-Sisters’ which had focused weekly topics and provided an open and safe forum for women to open up, share, and grow from one another.

During that time she became a mother to a daughter and endured multiple hardships including abusive relationships. Through it all, she fought for her peace and to make sure her daughter was raised in a healthy environment. An opportunity arose for her to work abroad in Europe, which was a big risk as it was leaving her family and friends and her daughter was still in high school. She took the journey with her daughter and it changed both of their lives forever! Sherrie has since been traveling the world, living and taking the steps (if even if scary) to live the best life she can, while still hoping to be an inspiration for other women.

Jessica Monteiro was born and raised in #CapeVerde Islands, where she lived until the summer of August 6, 1991. She is the second of seven kids, and her parents made the decision to move to United States. Her Grandfather and Grandmother who lived in Cranston petition for my Father to come to United States and we moved to US and settled in Providence Rhode Island. She attended Hope High School. Living in the United States has provided her with the opportunities to grow and develop, both in her personal and professional life.

Growing up in the Republic of Cape Verde, off the West Coast of Africa. She experienced the importance of higher education, through observing the lack of opportunities in her country. As She grew older, she noticed how her family struggled for a better living in a third world country and knew that she wanted something better for her own family in the future. When her parents who were both teachers, decided to immigrate to the United States, it was specifically to give their children the opportunities for an education. Her main reason for immigrating to the United States was to finish high school and go on to college or University. She came to United States when she was 17 years old. She started at Hope High School a Public School in Providence, Rhode Island. She is the founder of MIGUEL VICENTE MONTEIRO Foundation.

Danielle Cyprien is a passionate young advocate best known for using her personal experience and expertise to fight against Child Sex Trafficking and Exploitation. Cyprien is currently a pre-law major who has served on the RI Human Trafficking Task Force, alongside FBI and Homeland Security. Cyprien helped start the first Survivor Mentor Program in RI for at risk and confirmed survivors of sex trafficking and exploitation. Cyprien continues to use her personal experience and expertise to advocate for the rights of victims and educate the community. Danielle currently works out of Warwick, Rhode Island.