Economic difficulties in Brazil lead to increased Brazilian immigration to the United States. The Brazilian population finds ample opportunity to start and grow businesses in downtown Framingham in the 1980s and 1990s.
Brazilian migrants are drawn to New England because of the availability of jobs and housing. They find community in the existing Portuguese-speaking population, who had come seeking work on whaling ships and in textile and shoe factories decades prior. Early Brazilian immigrants often found employment in service sectors, such as house cleaning and landscaping, that typically did not offer health benefits. Coupled with language barriers, these factors made accessing healthcare services difficult. The creation of a Brazilian enclave helped mitigate some challenges by providing a network of support and familiarity but also highlighted the need for culturally and linguistically appropriate health services.
Meanwhile in Framingham, Shopper's World had opened as one of the country's first malls in the 1950s, and Route 9 had become a magnet for local businesses hoping to entice travelers along the roadway. Combined with the closing of major employers like Dennison and General Motors, downtown Framingham had grown largely vacant; more than 100 businesses left downtown or closed in the 1980s. Efforts to rebuild the vibrant economic scene had failed.
