New La Luz board president Defreitas gives back to Sonoma

Marcelo Defreitas, the La Luz Center board member known by some as the mastermind behind the center’s popular (and ultra-lucrative) annual “Noche” fundraisers, has been elected chairman of its board in a long-planned transition.

Whether shirtless or white tuxedoed, being the master of ceremonies at the sold-out annual events for five years has made Defreitas the face of La Luz – at least among those in the social swirl with the wallets that push the proceeds ever higher. But the handsome face has a quiet streak, as Defreitas is also a volunteer, who for years has spent countless daytime hours at the La Luz Center, lending a strong hand to clients that is appreciated – and somewhat anonymous.

“La Luz does so much good in the Latino community, and I have a weakness for that,” Defreitas said.

His main goal for La Luz is to continue to offer Latinos the educational and financial support they need to become seamlessly integrated into American society, while never abandoning their roots and culture.

Founded by Ligia Booker in 1985, La Luz offers English language learning, computer and parenting classes, provides medical, legal, employment and crisis counseling, and holds workshops on subjects such as how to start a small business. It is the primary resource in Sonoma Valley for families facing economic or social crises, as well as those seeking opportunities to become economically well off and self-sufficient.

“We want to empower the community by teaching skills, not just giving things away,” Defreitas said, using the old example that is better to teach a person to fish than it is to give them a bucket of trout.

He is also enthusiastic about La Luz’s new community services center building, now under construction, which will replace an old house that was in need of major repairs and offered no privacy to visiting clients. “I was skeptical in the beginning because I didn’t think we could raise the money, but it was overwhelming how much people wanted to help,” he said. Now only an additional $190,000 is needed to complete the $1.5 capital campaign. The building should be finished by this summer.

“The new facility will put a new face on La Luz,” he said. “Ligia Booker always said La Luz was built with a dream and a prayer, and we always remember that.”

Defreitas applauds his fellow La Luz board members, all 19. “There is no just ‘sitting’ on this board,” he said, “Everyone works. I couldn’t ask for a better board.” And he is a huge supporter of Executive Director Juan Hernandez, who he says has expertly guided the organization and brought in thousands of dollars in grant money during his three years in the leadership position.

Defreitas was born and raised on a cattle ranch in Brazil, moving to San Francisco in 1984 to learn English and study graphic design at the University of San Francisco and the Academy of Art.

“I loved this country,” he said, which is why he ultimately stayed, working his way up to become an art director at the prestigious Primo Angeli.

He met his husband Scott Smith, an attorney and native San Franciscan, in 1989 and eventually the city couple started looking for land to recreate the rural life Defreitas missed.

Their search began in Healdsburg, but they eventually fell in love with the Sonoma Plaza and in 1998 they bought 60 acres in the Valley’s western hills. Defreitas moved into living quarters attached to the property’s barn, and for years worked the land with the help of two Latinos, while Scott continued his high-tech investment banker/venture capitalist career in the city, returning, as he still does, on Friday afternoons and staying until Monday morning.

Defreitas built miles of gravel-paved trails, planted a 120-tree mixed-fruit orchard a 35-tree citrus grove, a rose garden and an aviary for his exotic birds and parrots, most all of them rescued.

In 2006, once Defreitas had readied the land, the couple worked with Richard Beard of BAR Architects in San Francisco to build a 6,000 square-foot home and expansive pool, where they frequently entertain. Many a partygoer may notice an exuberance about Defreitas which, while not quite a façade, is certainly not the true nature-loving, community caring, adoring spouse that is the ultimate Marcelo, a man who rises at 4:30 a.m. every day, tending his chickens and riding his two Paint horses. He is a man of the land.

He keeps bees and jars honey, putting up 1,000 pints of assorted jams each year, splashed with the Rancho Miniero label he designed, honoring their home’s name. They give it all away as gifts.

For many years, the couple held annual Marcelo-orchestrated parties – some might call them extravaganzas – including their 2008 wedding for 400 guests. Their then-neighbor, Donna Halow, admired Defreitas’s ability to throw an over-the-top bash, and six-years ago asked if he would take on event organizing for the La Luz fundraiser – from there it was what now seems like a short hop to chairman of the board.

From there, Defreitas went from leaving his land only to go to Sonoma Market and knowing almost no one in town, to being the man who chats with almost everyone and is always waving to friends from his Mini Cooper.

Besides his La Luz commitments, he is part of a grassroots effort to spiff up Larson Park and he’s also the event chair for the upcoming “Call of the Wild” fundraiser for Jack London State Historic Park. He’s also an avid tennis player and loves the peacocks that perch all about at Rancho Miniero.

At home, though, Marcelo and Scott live quietly, take walks with their Jack Russell terriers and read by the fire.

Unlike Marcelo, Scott wouldn’t mind if he never went to a party again, but he is Marcelo’s biggest cheerleader.

“Scott is the most supportive person I’ve ever met in my life,” Marcelo said, and he admires Scott’s deeply felt belief that it is important to give back. Scott serves on the board of the Sonoma Valley Fund, and their names show up on many a donor list, including a plaque at Sonoma Valley Hospital.

Defreitas’s deepest community dedication, though, is to La Luz.

The once-reclusive animal lover who can throw one hell of a party takes his position as board chair seriously, with an eye toward making La Luz more successful than ever.