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Behind Jamie
Foxx, The Jackson brothers and Kevin James is
Mississauga’s Jesse DeCosta
http://www.thestar.com/printarticle/1115149
January 13, 2012 | Emily Jackson
 Jesse
Decosta in his Mississauga home with one of his
treasures, a platinum record set from the Jackson
family. The tribute fresh from LA was shipped to
Decosta following an event on the west coast where
DeCosta, their brand manager is often found.
Rick Eglinton/Toronto Star
Jesse DeCosta never really talks about his career —
no one believes him, anyway.
This Mississauga man quietly works behind the scenes
managing the brand image of of Hollywood’s stars,
including Michael Jackson’s family, Jamie Foxx and
comedian Kevin James. “It is ridiculous when
you hear a Canadian in Mississauga is doing this,”
Decosta said of DeCosta Marketing Inc., which has
offices in the GTA and LA.
Serendipity, he believes, led him to his career
rubbing elbows with the rich and famous. He advises
his star studded clientele on a variety of things,
such as which public engagements to accept, how to
design a website or what a movie poster should look
like. (Less glamorous clients include the Ontario
Municipal Insurance Exchange.)
But it hasn’t always been jetting to LA to accompany
Will Smith to appearances at the Grove.
The 40-year-old grew up in Edmonton, where his
father struggled to find work as a draftsman during
the recession. After five years of unemployment, his
dad moved to Mississauga for a job, leaving his
family behind. He died unexpectedly four months
later. DeCosta’s mother had to sell everything and
move her family to Toronto’s suburbs.
DeCosta, 15 at the time, started working right away.
Creative, design-related projects appealed to him,
as his father was also an artist. Around 1989, he
started working for Sony Music in Canada, helping
DJs and promoting artists any way he could. His
serendipitous moment came in 1999, when he met
singer Deborah Cox through a lawyer. Cox hired him
as a brand manager, and he’s worked with her ever
since.
The tipping point came later that year when Cox’s
manager started working for Will Smith. DeCosta says
Smith became his client soon after — and his best
sales person.
“Will is a pretty big calling card,” DeCosta said.
Over the past 12 years, DeCosta’s business has grown
organically, he said. He has no sales people, and he
doesn’t make cold calls. “Hollywood is very
tight knit — it’s all based on trust and word of
mouth. If you work hard and do good for one
individual, it spreads.” Decosta’s most recent
project is a website for the Jackson family. A fan
of their music, he met them through his work with
Tupac Shakur’s estate.
“You meet with a lot of people and you talk with a
lot of people,” said Marlon Jackson, one of the
Jackson 5 members, in a phone interview. “We liked
what [DeCosta] was doing and decided we would move
forward with it.”
The Jackson’s had never had a website before, making
it hard for the people to know the “one true
authentic side” of the family’s story, Jackson said.
As entrepreneurs (Jackson has plans to launch a
fashion line), he and DeCosta share a special
understanding.
DeCosta spends 70 per cent of his time in Canada
with his wife of 20 years and their two children, he
said, although he travels frequently to New York and
LA. A Mississauga native, his wife doesn’t want to
move south but is “enjoying the ride” of DeCosta’s
career, he said.
Working with superstars does have its perks. When
his family goes to LA, DeCosta’s children, aged 9
and 11, can visit the sets of TV shows they like.
“The kids love it,” DeCosta said. They’ve also been
to celebrity birthday parties. Considering DeCosta
is a brand manager, it’s surprising few back home
know about his career advising Hollywood icons.
“I don’t know why,” DeCosta said, joking that he’s
more popular in California than he is in the GTA. “I
guess we’ve never really promoted ourselves
locally.” |
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$11,300
Ontario Trillium Foundation Grant for the Toronto
East Goan Seniors Association
Lori Kay
Communications Officer – Event Planning
Province-wide, Central and Golden Horseshoe
Ontario Trillium Foundation
There were lots of
smiles on Saturday December 10, 2011, as members of
the Toronto East Goan Seniors Association gathered
for their annual Christmas dinner at the Rembrandt
Community Centre. At the event, members learned that
their Association has received a six-month, $11,300
grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation that will
enable them to buy new materials that will enhance
their ability to serve their members and add to
their many events over the course of a year.
The Association will purchase new computers,
printers, kitchen and office supplies, a microphone
and new sound system as well.
“It is simply a matter of joy for the Toronto East
Goan Seniors Association to receive this generous
grant,” said Olga Madeira, President. “We’ll be able
to buy this much-needed equipment that will let us
do so much more in terms of our work and
communications with our members. The grant will also
help us to pilot programs effectively, thus
integrating the cultural, health and physical
activities which will add so much more to the lives
of seniors in the community.”
About
The Toronto East Goan Seniors Association is a
Scarborough-based not-for-profit association with
650 members. The organization reaches out to seniors
and engages them a variety of activities, events,
workshops and information seminars on a wide ranges
of issues. For more information on getting involved
with the Association, please send an email to:
tegsaevents@gmail.com
A leading grant-maker in Canada, the Ontario
Trillium Foundation strengthens the capacity of the
voluntary sector through investments in
community-based initiatives. An agency of the
Government of Ontario, OTF builds healthy and
vibrant communities.
Learn More
- For more
information on the Toronto East Goan Seniors
Association, please contact Olga Madeira,
President, at
www.tegsa.ca
- For more
information about the Ontario Trillium
Foundation, visit
www.otf.ca
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100th Birthday
of Genevieve (Jane) Braganza
 December
2, 2011 was a special and memorable day
in the lives of the family of centenarian, Jane
Braganza.
Jane was born in Goa and is one of 8 siblings all of
whom have passed away. Her life has taken her
through Africa, Mbulu (now Tanzania) where she and
her siblings grew up, then on to Mombasa. Here she
met and married her late husband, Francis Braganza (PWD).
They had 3 daughters, Juliet married to Ruben
Rebello, Isabel Harvey, Dolly married to Ernest
Vienna. Goa was where she and her husband retired
and finally came to Toronto to join Dolly and Juliet
and their families.
Her 100th Birthday was celebrated on December 02,
2011 with her 3 daughters, sons-in-law,
grandchildren, sister-in-law, nieces and nephews
most of them being from Toronto and some who came
from London (UK). She was very pleased to see all
her family and acknowledged each one present at the
event.
A presentation of a congratulatory letter from Her
Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was made by her nephew
Carl Coelho from London (UK). There were
congratulatory letters from the Lt. Governor General
of Ontario and a Papal Blessing gift from Jennifer
Fernandes of London (UK) .
After several speeches and recognition of the
important part Jane played, not only in her family’s
life, but in that of her siblings and their
families, everyone was treated to a sumptuous buffet
dinner.
As she proceeds into the future years of her life,
her family requests prayers for good health and
happiness for their Darling Mum. |
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Meeting Held
in Goa on Canadian Goans
Photo by
Frederick Noronha
Audio: Canadian Catholics,
and Goans in Canada
 19
Jan: Community Audio By Frederick
Noronha. Terry Fay SJ (photo) from the
University of St Michael’s College of the University
of Toronto relates two stories. The first story
tells the changing face of Canadian spirituality,
and the second story how Canadian Goans fit into
Canadian spirituality. He spoke of the formation of
the G.O.A. its outreach to new arrivals, the
democratization of GOA, its cultural and artistic
activities, and creating the International Goan
Organization. This was followed by a lively
discussion with the Canadian Goans present, which
included Zulema de Souza. 1hr:39m:30s
Click here to listen
See photos at :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fn-goa/6728405469/in/photostream/
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Goan Voice designed and compiled by
Demerg Systems India,
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"C" Block, 2nd Floor, S-43/44,
(Near Don Bosco School), Panjim, Goa-403001
Tel:
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Email:
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