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 […]

Update | Airlines begin cancellations ahead of December 11 general strike – Portugal

06 December 2025

Travelers heading to or from Portugal on December 11, 2025, should brace for widespread flight cancellations and major delays, as a nationwide general strike is set to disrupt operations at all major airports and across public services. The stoppage, called by Portugal’s main trade-union confederations in protest over proposed labor-law reforms, is expected to affect […]

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Posted in Azores, Community, Featured, Madeira, Portugal, Travel, World

Project Homecoming | Incentives offered for voluntary self-deportation – DHS

05 December 2025

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today, December 5, reaffirmed its commitment to reducing undocumented immigration through voluntary departure mechanisms, unveiling the full scope of its “self-deportation” program under Project Homecoming. Under this initiative, undocumented immigrants who choose to depart the United States voluntarily using the CBP Home mobile app will receive a USD$1,000 exit […]

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Posted in Community, Featured, World

Milestone | Portugal celebrates 70th anniversary as a UN member – United Nations

05 December 2025

Seventy years ago, on December 14, 1955, Portugal formally became a member of the United Nations, marking a new chapter in its international engagement. Since then, Portugal has consistently contributed to the defence of peace, human rights, international law and sustainable development within the UN system, becoming a committed, constructive actor on the global stage. […]

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Posted in Featured, Organizations, People, Politics, Portugal, World

Grant opportunity | Gulbenkian Foundation Announces Research Scholarships – Portugal

02 December 2025

The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation has announced its Gulbenkian Research Scholarships on Portuguese Culture for Foreigners, supporting international scholars who wish to conduct research in Portugal in the fields of history, literature, and art history, interested in promoting the global study of Portuguese culture. The scholarship program is open to non-Portuguese nationals residing abroad, designed to […]

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Posted in Arts&Culture, Education, Featured, Organizations, Portugal, World

Book | Baking with Love | By Maria Lawton – Editor’s Note

02 December 2025

Baking with Maria and her Avó’s Sweet Recipes for Little Chefs is a warm, inviting introduction to Portuguese home baking—created especially for young chefs learning side-by-side with a grown-up they love. This beautifully illustrated, spiral-bound cookbook is designed to sit flat on the counter, making it easy for little hands and big helpers to bake […]

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

November 25 | How should the country remember its transition to democracy? – Portugal 

25 November 2025

Portugal is marking November 25 with a mix of official ceremonies, political statements, and renewed public debate about the date’s significance in the context of the country’s narrative of its democratic history. Parliamentary ceremonies, combined with political postures inside the Assembly of the Republic, have placed the date at the center of a heated conversation […]

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Posted in Featured, Heritage, Organizations, People, Politics, Portugal, World