Portuguese American Journal

Portuguese American Journal

Featured Stories
Honor | Writer João Pedro Vala recipient of the PEN/O. Henry Award Space | Portugal launches satellites honoring national literary figures Community | 2026 International Portuguese Music Awards (IPMA)  Community | Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho remains on paid leave FLAD | Carlos Costa Neves appointed director of the Luso-American Development Foundation
 

Honor | Writer João Pedro Vala recipient of the PEN/O. Henry Award – New York, NY

Portuguese writer João Pedro Vala has been awarded a prestigious PEN/O. Henry Award for his short story “Inês,” a recognition widely regarded as one of the highest honors in English-language short fiction. The first Portuguese author to receive that distinction, his short story ‘Inês’ was selected for inclusion in the PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories anthology. […]

Space | Portugal launches satellites honoring national literary figures – Santa Barbara, CA

Portugal successfully launched six satellites aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, US. The mission reinforces Portugal’s growing role in the global space economy, while also strengthening strategic, scientific, and economic links across the Atlantic. Among the satellites are four named after some of the nation’s most celebrated literary figures […]

Community | 2026 International Portuguese Music Awards (IPMA)  – Providence, RI

The International Portuguese Music Awards (IPMA) will return on Saturday, April 25, 2026, for its 14th annual edition at the Providence Performing Arts Center, bringing together leading artists from across the global Portuguese-speaking world.  The event, scheduled for 7:00 p.m. and hosted by Daniella Ruah and Ricardo Farias, will be broadcast internationally, continuing its mission […]

Community | Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho remains on paid leave – Los Angeles, CA

Alberto M. Carvalho, the Portuguese-American superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), remains on paid administrative leave following a federal investigation involving the nation’s second-largest school system.  The move comes after agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) executed search warrants at Carvalho’s residence and district offices in late February 2026, in […]

FLAD | Carlos Costa Neves appointed director of the Luso-American Development Foundation – Portugal

The Board of Trustees of Lisbon based, Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD) appointed Dr. Carlos Henrique da Costa Neves, 72, to the Executive Board, chaired since January 15, 2026, by José Manuel Durão Barroso. Born in Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira, Azores,  Costa Neves holds a degree in Law from the University of Lisbon. He has held […]

FLAD | Portuguese language has become an economic advantage study shows – Portugal

06 November 2025

A new study released by the Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD) finds that speaking Portuguese corresponds to an average 20% salary bonus for Portuguese-American workers in the United States. The report, developed for FLAD by a research group led by Alda Botelho Azevedo of the Instituto de Ciências Sociais (ICS), Universidade de Lisboa, underscores the growing […]

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Posted in Community, Education, Featured, Heritage, Portugal, World

Maria João Pires: Acclaimed piano virtuoso announces the end of her career – Portugal

02 November 2025

Maria João Pires, one of the world’s most acclaimed pianists and a central figure in Portuguese and European classical music, has formally announced that she has ended her career as a performer. The declaration was made during the award acceptance ceremony for the Helena Vaz da Silva European Award, held on November 1 at the […]

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Posted in Arts&Culture, Awards, Featured, Heritage, Music, People, Portugal, World

Award | Djaimilia Pereira de Almeida wins the Fernando Namora Literary Prize  – Portugal 

30 October 2025

Lusophone writer Djaimilia Pereira de Almeida, 43, has been distinguished with the Prémio Literário Fernando Namora, one of Portugal’s most prestigious awards for fiction, for her novel Livro da Doença. The prize recognizes outstanding works of narrative prose published in Portuguese during the previous year. Almeida’s win marks a significant moment in contemporary Lusophone literature, […]

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Posted in Angola, Arts&Culture, Awards, Books, Featured, Heritage, People, Portugal, World

Citizenship – Portuguese Parliament approves new nationality law – Portugal

30 October 2025

Portugal’s Parliament [Assembleia da República] approved yesterday a sweeping reform of Portugal’s Lei da Nacionalidade [Citizenship Law], marking one of the most significant shifts in the country’s citizenship framework in more than a decade. As an organic law, the reform now moves to the desk of the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. […]

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Posted in Azores, Community, Featured, Heritage, Madeira, Politics, Portugal, World

Community | Fall River to host NY Portuguese Short Film Festival – Massachusetts

29 October 2025

The Arte Institute is bringing the NY Portuguese Short Film Festival (NYPSFF) to Southeastern Massachusetts, with free screenings on November 10 at Bristol Community College’s Fall River Campus.  Presented in partnership with LusoCentro, the event highlights some of the most innovative works by emerging Portuguese filmmakers, connecting Portugal’s contemporary cinema to one of the largest […]

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Posted in Arts&Culture, Azores, Community, Entertainment, Featured, Film, Heritage, Portugal, World

Book | Asterix in Lusitania | By Rene Goscinny et al – Editor’s Note

28 October 2025

Asterix in Lusitania, the newly announced volume of the legendary French-Belgian comic series, has been hailed as a heartfelt tribute to Portugal’s rich history, culture, and national identity. The book marks the first time Asterix and Obelix travel to ancient Lusitania, bringing the Iberian Atlantic frontier to life with humor, creativity, and a deep respect […]

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Posted in Arts&Culture, Books, Featured, Heritage, World