2022 Honorees
Community Leadership and Service Award
Teresa Borowska
Host of “Voice of Poland” radio program showcasing Polish cultural heritage
Teresa was born in Poland and immigrated to the U.S. in 1981. She holds a Master of Science in Herbalism degree and a Certificate in Journalism. In the 1960’s and 1970’s she worked as an assistant at the University of Agriculture, was a deputy editor-in-chief of the Owoce, Warzywa, Kwiaty magazine in Warsaw, Poland and wrote a number of articles in the Ty i Ja, Przyjacolka, Owoce, Warzywa, Kwiaty, well known and popular publications in Poland.
After emigrating to the U.S. she became a broadcaster for the Polonez radio program in 1983. In 1989 Teresa established the Voice of Poland radio program and started informing communities on Polish culture and traditions. The program also provides a full course of classical and modern popular music of our generation, as well as poetry and literature. She said that the reason she started the show after moving to the U.S. from Poland was that she thought her language abilities were not good enough to work for an American newspaper but her love for Poland strongly encouraged her to create a Polish radio show to share her knowledge of her mother country. The show is still strong and popular 40 years later. Originally she was the only host on the show, but later she started introducing guests and the show became very valuable to her audience. It used to be a local program but now audiences around the world can listen each Sunday morning online at www.polskiexpress.com from 8:30am to 9:00am.
She has organized many piano recitals, poetry readings, lectures on Polish history and literature. She also has shared her knowledge of the arts with contributed articles published in local Polish language newspapers providing an invaluable service in educating and nurturing the love for the arts and for Polish cultural heritage in the local community. Teresa’s dedication and dependability is truly rare and worthy of admiration.
Her love for herbs and flowers, backed by her educational background on the subject, and the desire to help others resulted in starting her own business Teresa’s Herbs & Flowers in 1990 that she still operates in the heart of Little Poland at 292 Broad Street in New Britain, Connecticut.
Teresa’s public service and helping others is who she is. Back in Poland she was an active member of the Polish Workers Independent Trade Union – “Solidarnosc” from 1980 to 1981 and Polish Journalists Association – SDP from 1972 to 1993. She has been serving as the officer of the Polish-American Business & Professional Association since 1986.
Teresa was recognized and honored for her work with the Silver Cross of Merit from PWRiL in 1979 in Poland, the “Immigrant of the Year’ for her community service in Connecticut in 2007 sponsored by the Connecticut Immigrant and Refugee Coalition, Medal for Merit to Culture (Zasluzony Kulturze – Gloria Artis) in 2008 by the Polish Government, the “Great Achievement Award” from the Polish American Business and Professional Association in 2013, and The Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland (Krzyz Kawalerski Orderu Zaslugi Rzeczpospolitej Polski) in 2019.
Teresa enjoys music, literature, poetry, and cultivation and use of herbs. She also actively participates in her parish and in various community organizations and projects. She and her husband Jerzy reside in New Britain, CT.