ACR185 - Portuguese Heritage Month: Day of Portugal: Day of the Azores.

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 185 CHAPTER 135 Relative to Portuguese Heritage Month. [ Filed with Secretary of State June 26, 2026. ] LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST ACR 185, Macedo. Portuguese Heritage Month: Day of Portugal: Day of the Azores. This measure would declare the month of June 2026 to be Portuguese Heritage Month and would recognize June 10, 2026, as the Day of Portugal and May 25, 2026, as the Day of the Azores. Digest Key Fiscal Committee: NO Bill Text WHEREAS, Portuguese presence in California predates the establishment of California as a state in the United States; and WHEREAS, The first Portuguese settlers came to California from the Azores Islands in the early 19th century. Waves of Azorean immigrants moved to California just before and during the 20th century, with the first wave arriving around the turn of the century, followed by the second and largest wave between 1958 and 1976, each contributing substantially to establishing agricultural operations, especially dairy, livestock, vegetables, fruit farms, and the tuna industry in southern California; and WHEREAS, Throughout much of the 20th century, as many as one-half of all Portuguese Californians owned or operated a dairy farm, worked on a dairy farm, or worked in a dairy-related industry. Applying the Portuguese belief in hard work and thrift, along with family labor, Portuguese settlers reinvested in their businesses, acquiring land and livestock. Today, Portuguese Americans in California continue to play an important role in agriculture and dairying as proprietors and innovators; and WHEREAS, California has long been a destination for immigrants from the Azores Islands, creating enduring cultural ties. Today, more than 350,000 persons of Portuguese heritage live in California, approximately 90 percent of whom are of Azorean descent; and WHEREAS, In early 1855, the Old Company of Portuguese Whalers, a 15-member enterprise, operated in the city of Monterey, and Portuguese immigrants from the Azores and Madeira held prominent roles in the tuna industry in the city of San Diego; and WHEREAS, Portuguese fraternal organizations have contributed to the financial and cultural stability of the community, including the Portuguese Fraternal Society of America and the Luso-American Fraternal Federation, both headquartered in California; and WHEREAS, Portuguese language instruction across California’s educational institutions, including community heritage schools, public schools, community colleges, the California State University system, the University of California, and private colleges, promotes global linguistic competency and awareness of Portuguese contributions. Institutions such as the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute at California State University, Fresno, further strengthen academic, cultural, and economic ties; and WHEREAS, The California Portuguese American Coalition, established in 2016, fosters civic engagement and public service among Portuguese Americans; and WHEREAS, A strategic plan developed in 2018 promotes Portuguese language and cultural education in California schools, strengthening connections and economic opportunities with Portuguese-speaking nations; and WHEREAS, California maintains a sister-state relationship with the Autonomous Region of the Azores, fostering collaboration in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, tourism, technology, and cultural exchange; and WHEREAS, Portuguese Americans have made significant contributions to the United States, including composer John Philip Sousa, poet Emma Lazarus, and architect William L. Pereira, and many have served with distinction in public office and in the United States Armed Forces; and WHEREAS, Portuguese Americans have enriched California’s cultural landscape, including contributions to the arts and entertainment industry, the most notable of whom are Mary Astor, Katy Perry, Tom Hanks, Joe Perry, Nuno Bettencourt, Steve Perry, and Sara Bareilles; and WHEREAS, Portuguese language media has been part of California’s landscape since the 1880s, today utilizing all major areas of technology and incorporating new technologies, such as innovative apps like Diáspora Média Group, Inc. and platforms such as Novidades; and WHEREAS, Institutions such as the Portuguese Historical Museum and Bruma Publications, and other cultural and historical institutions, preserve and document the history and contributions of Portuguese Americans; and WHEREAS, Cultural traditions such as the Portuguese Holy Ghost Festival and other community celebrations remain vital expressions of heritage and identity in California; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby declares the month of June 2026 to be Portuguese Heritage Month and recognizes June 10, 2026, as the Day of Portugal and May 25, 2026, as the Day of the Azores; and be it further Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.