In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, Brazilian contractors, health agents and translators have begun working together to get the word out about new rules on job sites.

For the past eight weeks, a group of 15 Brazilian natives have been meeting at the Oak Bluffs Public Library to learn beginners level English language skills.

Although now in its second generation, the Brazilian community is still largely perceived as an island unto itself, isolated from the mainstream Vineyard community.

A Vineyard Haven store that caters to the Island Brazilian community is getting a makeover.

Mara Santos, a West Tisbury resident, is the new manager of Island Star, a convenience store located at 25 Beach Road in Vineyard Haven.

“I hope to have everything ready for a grand opening on May 26,” she said. “I want to earn the trust of new customers.”

Mrs. Santos has lived on the Vineyard since 1999. She has worked as a caregiver, raised a daughter and ran a cleaning business.

The Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living is holding its second in a series of cultural luncheons for 2012 on Saturday, March 3, from noon to 2 p.m., at the Grill on Main in Edgartown. The luncheon will honor our Island Brazilian community. The program speaker is Valci Carvalho. Mr. Carvalho, pastor of the Alliance Community Church, has lived on the Vineyard for 11 years and has a lot of good insight into human behavior and a great sense of humor. He will offer a close look at the contributions and influences of the Brazilian community to the Island of Martha’s Vineyard.

Several major employers of Brazilian labor on the Vineyard spoke out this week against a newly-established Island blog which has accused them of hiring undocumented workers. The inflammatory blog has caused distress and anger among the Brazilian community as well as their employers.

Posts on the blog accuse entities as diverse as landscape companies, restaurants, retailers, even the YMCA and the Martha’s Vineyard Commission of illegal hiring and sometimes corruption.