Joe's always been a sucker for good music, which is why he's spreading the word about a talented local musician who's performing for a good cause. On Thursday, January 18th, Viva & the Reinforcements will play a show at the Portland House of Music to support the Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center, a non-profit organization serves as the nucleus of collaborative efforts to strengthen the immigrant community through the attainment of three pillars of empowerment: language acquisition, economic integration and civic engagement. To raise money for the IWC, Viva will perform Jazz standards and Latin tunes with a modern twist. As an added bonus, today is Viva's birthday. For more information about the event or to buy tickets, please visit this website. For more information on the IWC, visit the organization's website here. Joe hopes the event is a success, wishes Viva a very happy birthday, and offers his thanks to the IWC. As a descendant of immigrants himself, Joe hopes this event raises lots of money for a great organization.

                 Photography by Corey Templeton. See more of Corey's photos here and here.