The meaning of RODA
Roda means wheel or circle in Portuguese.
Circles symbolize much of what I want to be as a husband, father, son, and leader…
Community and Commitment
Focus and Clarity
Connection and Wholeness
The Infinite, which has no beginning or end
Symmetry and Reflection
Non-linearity and iteration
For all these reasons, circles have been important to my thinking about leadership and love. But why RODA?
My parents' story and example are central to who I am and how I walk through life. I grew up surrounded by reminders of my family’s life on the Azores islands. The weekends were often spent hosting extended family. Imagine a swirl of linguica, bacalhau, chicarros, arroz com camarao, papos secos, queijo fresco, torresmos, chicharros, red wine, dominos, sueca, pressure cookers, clanging pots, music, jokes and stories. Lots of stories of the old country or the first years in the states. My family instilled in me an appreciation for our ancestors' struggles, our family's accomplishments, and the unique characteristics of Azorean culture.
As I got older, I wanted to dig deeper into the untold or forgotten stories. I hoped to deconstruct how patriarchy, racism, and classism manifested in my family's experiences, stories, and perspectives. I needed to problematize the bootstraps ideology, the “American Dream,” and assimilation that dominate the immigrant narrative. Seeking to develop my critical awareness, I wanted to understand how my ancestors' traumas and relationships to racism and economic inequality shaped their lives, values, and actions. For better or worse.
Along this journey, I learned that at least three of my great-grandparents were orphans raised in the Catholic church. My research revealed that hundreds of Azorean infants were given to the church because families did not have the means to raise their children. The trend was so urgent that churches installed rodas, or wooden wheels, in the church's exterior walls. The rodas allowed families to give their children to the church anonymously. Turning the wheel would send the newborn inside the church while a bell rang to inform caretakers of the recent arrival.
Unfortunately, survival rates for these infants were incredibly low. Yet, somehow my ancestors survived these conditions. My family and I are alive today because of the roda. A traumatic event of the past that our family has metabolized into courage and hope.
I have chosen RODA to honor my ancestors, their stories, and their strength.
