In this interview, Francisco Cardoso speaks about growing up in Cape Verde, immigrating to the U.S., and working first as a boat painter and later as a Hydraulics and Control Lead for Atlantic Shellfish Inc. Francisco discusses the economic pull factors that led him to the U.S. as well as the ways he takes pride in his Cape Verdean heritage. He discusses the challenges of learning a new language and how the ethnic and linguistic diversity and mentorship of his co-workers in the commercial fishing industry helped him acclimate to life in the U.S.

In this interview, Francisco “Chiquinho” Almeida describes his journey from Cape Verde to Portugal to the United States and the many jobs he held before becoming a scalloper. He describes the role of language in the commercial fishing industry and how regulations have affected him and the commercial fishing industry at large.

In this interview, Silvina “Sal” Sequeira speaks about immigrating from Cape Verde to Portugal as a child with his family and then from Portugal to the United States with his wife as an adult. He discusses his luck in having the opportunity to learn how to weld, which helped him obtain the job he has held as an industrial welder for 27 years at Blue Fleet Welding in New Bedford, MA. He talks about how physically demanding his job is but also notes that he relishes the challenges and is happiest when his work requires a variety of skills and knowledge.