Please note this is a hybrid event - you have the option to attend in person or virtually. Registrations are required for all attendees. For in-person attendees, the event will run from 11:45 am - 2 pm and will include lunch. The live stream will begin at 12:50 pm (virtual attendees will be sent a link for the event via email).
Join the Latin American and Caribbean Luncheon Group at DACOR to discuss the current state of affairs in Brazil and the political, economic, and geopolitical dynamics shaping Brazil–U.S. relations. Our panelists will be Bruna Santos and Ricardo Zuniga. We will also have a very special host/moderator for this session, Ambassador Patrick Duddy.
Brazil is emerging as one of the most important and complicated relationships in the Western Hemisphere as tensions grow between the Trump administration and the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Disputes over trade, tariffs, the prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro, democratic governance, and Brazil’s expanding ties with China and the BRICS bloc have strained the relationship, even as both countries remain deeply connected economically and strategically.
Bruna Santos is the director of the Brazil Program at the Inter-American Dialogue. She previously led the Brazil Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars. Prior to that, she served as vice president and director of innovation at Brazil’s National School of Public Administration (Enap), the country’s premier government training institution. From 2010 to 2013, she lived and worked in Beijing, China, where she was a market analyst at Chinatex Grains & Oils and coâfounded Radar China, a public relations firm. Santos is a member of the global network of Eisenhower Fellows and has served as an adjunct professor at Columbia University’s EMPA Global. She holds a master’s degree in public administration from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree in international relations from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul.
Ricardo Zúniga is a Founding Partner of Dinámica Americas. He was a career member of the U.S. Senior Foreign Service, serving for 30 years in multiple roles, including as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, U.S. Special Envoy for the Northern Triangle, and U.S. Consul General in São Paulo, Brazil, where he focused on advancing U.S. commercial relations with Brazil. Zuniga was detailed from the State Department to serve as President Obama’s principal advisor for the Americas from 2012 to 2015, during which time he worked closely with then-Vice President Biden and advised Cabinet members and other senior leaders on events in the Americas. He was previously a member of the Advisory Board of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Latin America Program. He is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and served diplomatic tours in Mexico, Portugal, Cuba, Spain, and twice in Brazil.
Ambassador (retired) Patrick Duddy is a Senior Lecturing Fellow at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. He has taught in both Duke’s Fuqua School of Business and Duke’s Sanford School of Public Policy and served for several years as the academic director of Duke’s Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies. Before joining the Duke faculty, Ambassador Duddy served as a U.S. diplomat for nearly thirty years. From 2007 to 2010 he was the U.S. Ambassador to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela for both President Bush and President Obama. Prior to his assignment to Venezuela, Ambassador Duddy was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State (DAS) for the Western Hemisphere. From 2002 until 2005, Ambassador Duddy was the U.S. Consul General in Sao Paulo, Brazil. In Sao Paulo, Duddy also served as the senior USG liaison to one of the most dynamic and sophisticated business communities in the world and as a board member of the American Chamber of Commerce. In addition, he served as the Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Brasilia.
Join us for a performance by the James Fernando Trio featuring James Fernando, piano, Dan McCain, bass, and Kyon Williams, drums, and vocalist Taisha Estrada.
James Fernando (b. 1995) is a Philadelphia-based pianist and composer whose music seamlessly blends jazz, classical, and electronic influences. He has been described by World Music Report as a “prodigiously gifted composer and virtuoso pianist,” by Jazz Sensibilities as “limitless in his ability to articulate his ideas,” and by Contemporary Fusion Reviews for “creating one of the most amazing musical experiences you’ve ever had.”
A 2026 Gilmore Festival Fellow, Fernando has earned recognition from DownBeat Magazine, the National YoungArts Foundation, and first prize at the West Virginia International Piano Competition. In 2021, he served as a Strathmore Artist in Residence, and in 2017 attended the Banff International Workshop in Jazz & Creative Music. He graduated summa cum laude from Berklee College of Music in 2017 after three years of study.
Fernando has performed at major venues and festivals internationally. He has collaborated with artists such as GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award winner Tom Paxton, GRAMMY winners Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer, steelpan virtuoso Victor Provost, and jazz luminary Chris Cheek.
An accomplished recording artist, Fernando’s discography spans six albums, including Extended Layover (2018, with Mingjia), his critically acclaimed solo debut The Lonely Sailor (2019), Blackbird/Fly (2021), The Grind (2022, with Matt Lagan), and Piano Poetry (2023). His debut jazz trio album, Philly 3, was released in 2026 on Spring Garden Records.
Beyond performing and composing, Fernando is a passionate educator. He teaches at Levine Music in Washington, D.C., and regularly leads workshops at universities and community music schools across the United States.
Dan McCain is a Philadelphia based bass player, teacher and composer. He graduated from University of the Arts on scholarship, where he studied with many notable bassists. McCain has since received a DownBeat Award, and released his debut album Moments in Time. His unique feel and warm sound cause him to “[make] waves in the city these days” according to an article by All About Jazz. He has shared the stage with notable musicians such as Christian McBride, Ingrid Jenson, and Stefon Harris, and currently teaches music in the Philadelphia School District.
Kyon Williams, a multifaceted artist who combines elements of instrumental music, music production, and DJing all into the music that he creates. A Philadelphia native who started off playing the drums in the gospel scene, later attending Temple University studying Jazz Performance. Then finally took off on his own journey to learning music production and Djing. Kyon's sound spans the spectrum of Afrofuturist Jazz to progressive R&B and envelope-stretching dance music. He has performed at various venues and festivals in the local area such as The Kimmel Center, Lincoln Financial Field, The Philadelphia Flower Show, and at local clubs and bars. He is on the rise in the Philadelphia music scene and plans one day to open up his own venue.
Named a 2025 Tiny Desk Top Shelf artist, Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Taisha Estrada has quickly emerged as a standout voice in the DC and Baltimore music scenes. Her electrifying stage presence, genre-fluid vocals, and emotionally raw bilingual lyricism leave a lasting impression on audiences.
Born in Carolina, Puerto Rico, the rhythms of bomba y plena were an integral part of Taisha’s upbringing. Her debut record “Nostalgia Ajena”, pays homage to these roots. Since then, Estrada has made a conscious effort to expand her artistry. Her latest release, a single entitled “El Abstracto,” earned Estrada the Tiny Desk recognition, revealing a more assured composer.
In addition to the single, a body of unreleased music is on the horizon. Created with friends and collaborators Marty Risemberg, Parker Speirs and Grant Le , the music is characterized by deep groove, ethereal harmony and improvisation. Though alluding to their common love for jazz, rock and neo soul, the project defies categorization and is best experienced live.
Outside of her musical pursuits, Estrada is passionate about service and advocacy for her community. In 2024, she began a free guitar program, lovingly called "Flores Rockeras," for teen girls and non-binary teens in Arlington, Virginia. She also fundraises and advocates in support of DC Abortion Fund and The Kwek Society, raising awareness for underprivileged women and girls, period poverty and access to health care. more info...
DACOR members Eunice Reddick, former Ambassador to Niger, and Sandra Clark, former Ambassador to Burkina Faso, will host a discussion about recent events in Mali and the Sahel and their implications for U.S. foreign policy at this meeting of the Africa Discussion Group.
If you have an interest in Africa or want to learn more, join DACOR members at the monthly Africa Discussion Group. Discussions are organized around theme, country, region or on a selected speaker’s interests.
New at DACOR: We now offer the option for registrants to choose their main course from the meal of the day ($35), the vegetarian meal of the day ($35), or the premium meal of the day ($50). Please see the day's menu under the "Event Details" of this event's announcement. The main course options are also listed during the registration process. All member lunches, in addition to the selected main course, continue to include a biscuit/roll, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea. Drinks are available for purchase. A cash bar opens at 12 noon and lunch is served at 12:30 pm.
Members' Lunch for $35 includes a biscuit/bread, two courses, and a cup of coffee/tea. Wine and other beverages may be purchased at the bar or at the table. more info...
Members are welcome to make reservations for Members' Lunches and invite their accompanied guests. Please note that DACOR now requires reservations for members lunch. Please be sure to reserve a spot for each member/guest.
New at DACOR: We now offer the option for registrants to choose their main course from the meal of the day ($35), the vegetarian meal of the day ($35), or the premium meal of the day ($50). Please see the day's menu under the "Event Details" of this event's announcement. The main course options are also listed during the registration process. All member lunches, in addition to the selected main course, continue to include a biscuit/roll, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea. Drinks are available for purchase. A cash bar opens at 12 noon and lunch is served at 12:30 pm.
Pre-payment is preferred. Reservations should be made no later than 2:00 pm the business day before the Members' Lunch. Cancelations made after 10 am the business day before your reservation will result in a charge.
Members' Lunches are held at communal tables. If you would like a private table or room, please contact events@dacorbacon.org instead of registering here. more info...
On the third Thursday of the month, we hold a Welcome to DACOR lunch for new members. All members are encouraged to come and meet the newest members of our community over a communal lunch.
New at DACOR: We now offer the option for registrants to choose their main course from the meal of the day ($35), the vegetarian meal of the day ($35), or the premium meal of the day ($50). Please see the day's menu under the "Event Details" of this event's announcement. The main course options are also listed during the registration process. All member lunches, in addition to the selected main course, continue to include a biscuit/roll, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea. Drinks are available for purchase. A cash bar opens at 12 noon and lunch is served at 12:30 pm.
Members' Lunch includes an entree, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea per patron (starting in 2024, a glass of wine is not included; wine and other drinks may be purchased). A cash bar opens at 12 noon and lunch is served at 12:30 pm.
Pre-payment is preferred. Reservations should be made no later than 2:00 pm the business day before the Members' Lunch. Cancellations made after 10 am the business day before your reservation will result in a charge.
Members' Lunches are held at communal tables. If you would like a private table or room, please contact events@dacorbacon.org instead of registering here. more info...
Join us for the member favorite Cocktails on the Patio!
Featuring a cash bar and a laid-back ambiance, DACOR's happy hours are held on most Thursdays over the summer. Join us for refreshing drinks and great camaraderie on our beautiful patio garden. In case of bad weather, we move the bar inside.
Cocktails on the Patio does not require reservations, but if you are going to be a group of 10+, it is helpful if you let us know in advance. Non-DACOR members of the foreign affairs community are invited to join our members. Members are also encouraged to bring prospective members to enjoy a lovely evening at the DACOR Bacon House!
The monthly get-together of our affinity group Unaccompanied DACORians, this luncheon gathers members who are widows, widowers, divorcees and other singletons together for camaraderie and discussion over lunch.
New at DACOR: We now offer the option for registrants to choose their main course from the meal of the day ($35), the vegetarian meal of the day ($35), or the premium meal of the day ($50). Please see the day's menu under the "Event Details" of this event's announcement. The main course options are also listed during the registration process. All member lunches, in addition to the selected main course, continue to include a biscuit/roll, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea. Drinks are available for purchase. A cash bar opens at 12 noon and lunch is served at 12:30 pm.
Unaccompanied DACORians provides members of DACOR, who are single, a group where they feel comfortable and valued as members. Anyone who is single can join, to find friendship, and feel comfortable as a DACOR member through varied activities at DACOR and elsewhere including a monthly luncheon on the 4th Tuesday of the month at DACOR. more info...
Members are welcome to make reservations for Members' Lunches and invite their accompanied guests. Please note that DACOR now requires reservations for members lunch. Please be sure to reserve a spot for each member/guest.
New at DACOR: We now offer the option for registrants to choose their main course from the meal of the day ($35), the vegetarian meal of the day ($35), or the premium meal of the day ($50). Please see the day's menu under the "Event Details" of this event's announcement. The main course options are also listed during the registration process. All member lunches, in addition to the selected main course, continue to include a biscuit/roll, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea. Drinks are available for purchase. A cash bar opens at 12 noon and lunch is served at 12:30 pm.
Pre-payment is preferred. Reservations should be made no later than 2:00 pm the business day before the Members' Lunch. Cancelations made after 10 am the business day before your reservation will result in a charge.
Members' Lunches are held at communal tables. If you would like a private table or room, please contact events@dacorbacon.org instead of registering here. more info...
Members are welcome to make reservations for Members' Lunches and invite their accompanied guests. Please note that DACOR now requires reservations for members lunch. Please be sure to reserve a spot for each member/guest.
New at DACOR: We now offer the option for registrants to choose their main course from the meal of the day ($35), the vegetarian meal of the day ($35), or the premium meal of the day ($50). Please see the day's menu under the "Event Details" of this event's announcement. The main course options are also listed during the registration process. All member lunches, in addition to the selected main course, continue to include a biscuit/roll, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea. Drinks are available for purchase. A cash bar opens at 12 noon and lunch is served at 12:30 pm.
Pre-payment is preferred. Reservations should be made no later than 2:00 pm the business day before the Members' Lunch. Cancelations made after 10 am the business day before your reservation will result in a charge.
Members' Lunches are held at communal tables. If you would like a private table or room, please contact events@dacorbacon.org instead of registering here. more info...
Join us for the member favorite Cocktails on the Patio!
Featuring a cash bar and a laid-back ambiance, DACOR's happy hours are held on most Thursdays over the summer. Join us for refreshing drinks and great camaraderie on our beautiful patio garden. In case of bad weather, we move the bar inside.
Cocktails on the Patio does not require reservations, but if you are going to be a group of 10+, it is helpful if you let us know in advance. Non-DACOR members of the foreign affairs community are invited to join our members. Members are also encouraged to bring prospective members to enjoy a lovely evening at the DACOR Bacon House!
Members are welcome to make reservations for Members' Lunches and invite their accompanied guests. Please note that DACOR now requires reservations for members lunch. Please be sure to reserve a spot for each member/guest.
New at DACOR: We now offer the option for registrants to choose their main course from the meal of the day ($35), the vegetarian meal of the day ($35), or the premium meal of the day ($50). Please see the day's menu under the "Event Details" of this event's announcement. The main course options are also listed during the registration process. All member lunches, in addition to the selected main course, continue to include a biscuit/roll, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea. Drinks are available for purchase. A cash bar opens at 12 noon and lunch is served at 12:30 pm.
Pre-payment is preferred. Reservations should be made no later than 2:00 pm the business day before the Members' Lunch. Cancelations made after 10 am the business day before your reservation will result in a charge.
Members' Lunches are held at communal tables. If you would like a private table or room, please contact events@dacorbacon.org instead of registering here. more info...
Members are welcome to make reservations for Members' Lunches and invite their accompanied guests. Please note that DACOR now requires reservations for members lunch. Please be sure to reserve a spot for each member/guest.
New at DACOR: We now offer the option for registrants to choose their main course from the meal of the day ($35), the vegetarian meal of the day ($35), or the premium meal of the day ($50). Please see the day's menu under the "Event Details" of this event's announcement. The main course options are also listed during the registration process. All member lunches, in addition to the selected main course, continue to include a biscuit/roll, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea. Drinks are available for purchase. A cash bar opens at 12 noon and lunch is served at 12:30 pm.
Pre-payment is preferred. Reservations should be made no later than 2:00 pm the business day before the Members' Lunch. Cancelations made after 10 am the business day before your reservation will result in a charge.
Members' Lunches are held at communal tables. If you would like a private table or room, please contact events@dacorbacon.org instead of registering here. more info...
Interested in keeping up with your French? Join the French Conversation Group!
Formed to help French-speaking members maintain their proficiency, the group meets monthly for lunchtime conversation involving foreign relations, diplomatic history, cultural activities, travel, and - of course! - French food and wine.
New at DACOR: We now offer the option for registrants to choose their main course from the meal of the day ($35), the vegetarian meal of the day ($35), or the premium meal of the day ($50). Please see the day's menu under the "Event Details" of this event's announcement. The main course options are also listed during the registration process. All member lunches, in addition to the selected main course, continue to include a biscuit/roll, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea. Drinks are available for purchase. A cash bar opens at 12 noon and lunch is served at 12:30 pm.
Members' Lunch for $35 includes a biscuit/bread, two courses, and a cup of coffee/tea. Wine and other beverages may be purchased at the bar or at the table.
Members are welcome to make reservations for Members' Lunches and invite their accompanied guests. Please note that DACOR now requires reservations for members lunch. Please be sure to reserve a spot for each member/guest.
New at DACOR: We now offer the option for registrants to choose their main course from the meal of the day ($35), the vegetarian meal of the day ($35), or the premium meal of the day ($50). Please see the day's menu under the "Event Details" of this event's announcement. The main course options are also listed during the registration process. All member lunches, in addition to the selected main course, continue to include a biscuit/roll, a dessert, and a cup of coffee/tea. Drinks are available for purchase. A cash bar opens at 12 noon and lunch is served at 12:30 pm.
Pre-payment is preferred. Reservations should be made no later than 2:00 pm the business day before the Members' Lunch. Cancelations made after 10 am the business day before your reservation will result in a charge.
Members' Lunches are held at communal tables. If you would like a private table or room, please contact events@dacorbacon.org instead of registering here. more info...
Join us for the member favorite Cocktails on the Patio!
Featuring a cash bar and a laid-back ambiance, DACOR's happy hours are held on most Thursdays over the summer. Join us for refreshing drinks and great camaraderie on our beautiful patio garden. In case of bad weather, we move the bar inside.
Cocktails on the Patio does not require reservations, but if you are going to be a group of 10+, it is helpful if you let us know in advance. Non-DACOR members of the foreign affairs community are invited to join our members. Members are also encouraged to bring prospective members to enjoy a lovely evening at the DACOR Bacon House!
Long before Napa was on anyone's map, America had its own grape. This dinner opens where American wine truly begins — in the Virginia soil Jefferson himself cultivated — and travels through 250 years of ambition, heartbreak, triumph, and reinvention. Seven courses. Seven wines. One unbroken story.
Join us for the member favorite Cocktails on the Patio!
Featuring a cash bar and a laid-back ambiance, DACOR's happy hours are held on most Thursdays over the summer. Join us for refreshing drinks and great camaraderie on our beautiful patio garden. In case of bad weather, we move the bar inside.
Cocktails on the Patio does not require reservations, but if you are going to be a group of 10+, it is helpful if you let us know in advance. Non-DACOR members of the foreign affairs community are invited to join our members. Members are also encouraged to bring prospective members to enjoy a lovely evening at the DACOR Bacon House!
Join us for the member favorite Cocktails on the Patio!
Featuring a cash bar and a laid-back ambiance, DACOR's happy hours are held on most Thursdays over the summer. Join us for refreshing drinks and great camaraderie on our beautiful patio garden. In case of bad weather, we move the bar inside.
Cocktails on the Patio does not require reservations, but if you are going to be a group of 10+, it is helpful if you let us know in advance. Non-DACOR members of the foreign affairs community are invited to join our members. Members are also encouraged to bring prospective members to enjoy a lovely evening at the DACOR Bacon House!
Join us for the member favorite Cocktails on the Patio!
Featuring a cash bar and a laid-back ambiance, DACOR's happy hours are held on most Thursdays over the summer. Join us for refreshing drinks and great camaraderie on our beautiful patio garden. In case of bad weather, we move the bar inside.
Cocktails on the Patio does not require reservations, but if you are going to be a group of 10+, it is helpful if you let us know in advance. Non-DACOR members of the foreign affairs community are invited to join our members. Members are also encouraged to bring prospective members to enjoy a lovely evening at the DACOR Bacon House!
