José F Costa was born in Capelas, S. Miguel, Açores. He did his studies at the Seminary of Angra in the Azores, the Catholic University in Lisbon, the Classic University of Lisbon (BA), Brown University (Master’s), and University of Massachusetts, Amherst (PhD). He immigrated to the United States in 1978. José Costa is one the founders of the Portuguese Official School in East Providence in 1986 and he was the school’s pedagogical director for 20 years. He has published poetry, short stories, essays and translations, and he is represented in anthologies. He is the founder of the BCC LusoCentro at Bristol Community College. José is the author of the music and lyrics of songs, including Velho Pezinho, a contemporary Azorean folk song. José lives with his wife Lourdes Costa in Smithfield, Rhode Island.