The California State Legislature today approved a resolution declaring June as Portuguese Heritage Month, June 10 as Portugal Day, and May 25 as Azores Day, in a bipartisan vote with no opposition votes.
ACR-185, a California State Legislature resolution recognizing and celebrating Portuguese heritage and the contributions of Portuguese-Americans – particularly the Azorean community – in California, was introduced in the State Assembly in April by Portuguese-American representatives Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (Democrat) and Alexandra Macedo (Republican).
“As the granddaughter of immigrants from the Azorean island of Terceira, I am honored to recognize the countless contributions of Portuguese Californians,” Alexandra Macedo said while addressing the Assembly to present the resolution.
The vote, which took place at the State Capitol in Sacramento, was attended by Portugal’s Consul General in San Francisco, Filipe Ramalheira, and the director of the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute and president of the California Portuguese American Coalition, Diniz Borges.
“The history of the Portuguese in California is one of hard work, family, faith, and community,” Cecilia Aguiar-Curry said in her remarks. “For more than 200 years, Portuguese immigrants, many from the Azores, helped build California, especially in agriculture, dairy farming, and fishing,” she continued.
To celebrate the resolution’s approval with 51 votes in favor, Alexandra Macedo offered the representatives massa sovada from the Portuguese bakery Pastry Delight, located in her district, which includes parts of Tulare, Kings, and Fresno counties.
In the text of the resolution, the authors emphasized that the Portuguese presence in California predates California becoming part of the United States and that there are “enduring ties” between the state and the Azores. “Today, more than 350,000 people of Portuguese descent live in California, approximately 90% of whom are of Azorean ancestry,” the representatives noted.
They also argued that the importance of the Portuguese diaspora in the state, particularly the Azorean community, continues to be reflected in fraternal organizations and Portuguese language education. “California maintains a sister-state relationship with the Autonomous Region of the Azores, promoting collaboration in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, tourism, technology, and cultural exchange,” the resolution states.
The resolution also highlighted the contributions of Portuguese personalities to California culture, citing Mary Astor, Katy Perry, Tom Hanks, Joe Perry, Nuno Bettencourt, Steve Perry, and Sara Bareilles.
“Cultural traditions such as the Festa do Espírito Santo and other community celebrations continue to be vital expressions of heritage and identity in California,” the representatives stated.
Resolution ACR-185 was initially introduced on April 27 and advanced on May 18, but the final vote only took place this Monday.
