PALCUS Celebrates 35 Years of Portuguese-American Leadership; Announces Anniversary Gala in the Azores

PALCUS Celebrates 35 Years of Portuguese-American Leadership

PALCUS serves as the primary national voice for over 2 million people of Portuguese descent in the United States

Celebrating our 35th anniversary, and holding our 28th Annual Gala in the Azores is deeply symbolic. It is a celebration of where we came from and how far we have reached as a community in the U.S.”

— Katherine Soares, Chair of the PALCUS Board of Directors

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, February 26, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Portuguese-American Leadership Council of the United States (PALCUS) is proud to announce the commencement of its 35th-anniversary celebration. Since its founding in 1991, PALCUS has served as the definitive national voice for the over 2 million people of Portuguese descent in the United States. To mark this historic milestone, the organization has announced that its prestigious annual Gala will be held in the Azores Islands, Portugal, in October and will dedicate the upcoming year to honoring its visionary founders.

Honoring Our Founders
As PALCUS enters its 35th year, the Board of Directors is launching a special initiative to recognize the group of forward-thinking Portuguese-Americans who established the council in the nation's capital. These founders envisioned an organization that would bridge the gap between the U.S. government, the Embassy of Portugal, and the Luso-American community.

"Our 35-year journey is a testament to the foundation laid by our founders," said Katherine Soares, Chair of the PALCUS Board of Directors. "They recognized that for our community to thrive, we needed to have a unified voice and representation. We are honored to carry their legacy forward as we look toward the next 35 years."

A Legacy of Impact: 35 Years of Achievement
Over three and a half decades, PALCUS has evolved from a grassroots vision into a powerhouse of advocacy and community development. Over the last three decades, PALCUS has implemented several successful programs and initiatives, including its national scholarship program, advocating for Portuguese language programs in schools, leading the charge to ensure the Portuguese community was counted in the census, and supporting the Heritage Portugal Program. Additional accomplishments include:

• Political Advocacy: Instrumental in establishing the Portuguese-American Caucus in the House of Representatives and the Friends of Portugal in the Senate.
• Legislative Wins: Played a pivotal role in securing the Visa Waiver Program for Portugal (1999) and the Dual Taxation Protocol, directly benefiting thousands of families and businesses.
• Education & Youth: Through the PALCUS National Scholarship Program and the Heritage Portugal immersion initiative, the council has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in the next generation of Luso-American leaders.
• Community Research: The PALCUS Index, a first-of-its-kind national survey, continues to provide critical data on the socio-economic status and needs of the Portuguese-American population.

The 28th Annual Gala: Journey to the Azores
In a historic move to strengthen the ties between the diaspora and their ancestral roots, PALCUS will host its 28th Annual Leadership Awards Gala in the Azores Islands this October. This marks one of the few times the event will be held outside the United States, underscoring the organization's commitment to international relations and the regional government of the Azores. The Gala will serve as a homecoming for many in the community, featuring:

• The presentation of the 2026 Leadership Awards.
• A special tribute to the PALCUS founding members.
• Cultural excursions and networking events with Azorean government and business leaders.

"Holding our 35th anniversary and our 28th Annual Gala in the Azores is deeply symbolic," Soares added. "It is a celebration of where we came from and how far we have reached as a community in the United States."

About PALCUS
PALCUS is a non-partisan, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization incorporated under the laws of the District of Columbia. It was founded in 1991 by a group of successful, forward-thinking Portuguese-Americans to provide a singular national voice to advocate for the interests of Portuguese-Americans in the United States. At the center of their vision was the establishment and maintenance of channels of communication between the government of the Republic of Portugal, via the Embassy of Portugal in Washington, D.C., and the U.S. congressional delegation representing Portuguese-American communities.

Gracielle Camilo
PALCUS
+1 202-466-4664
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