The 59th Annual Portuguese Immigrant Week kicked off at the Portuguese Immigrant Monument at Root Park in San Leandro on Saturday, March 7, 2026. The Portuguese American community has proudly attended this wreath ceremony annually to recognize and celebrate all the courageous Portuguese immigrants ever since the then-Governor of California, Ronald Reagan, in 1967 made the proclamation for this week-long celebration held annually on the second week of March.
The symbolic statue created by Azorean sculptor Numidico Bessone was offered to the City of San Leandro in 1964 by União Portuguesa do Estado da California, now part of PFSA. This statue symbolizes a person carrying a heavy burden, the difficulties and struggles of the emigrant; yet it also shows a man in front of a ship’s prow symbolizing the strength, courage and sense of adventure of the Portuguese emigrant.
On this exceptional beautiful day, the community was honored with the presence of Filipe Ramalheira, Consul General of Portugal in San Francisco and Juan González III, Mayor of San Leandro, along with the Chairman and Presidents of the Portuguese Fraternal Society of America (PFSA), and Luso-American Financial who paid tribute and hosted the event. The Filarmónica Artista Amadora de San Leandro (Portuguese Band of San Leandro) played the Portuguese and American national anthems and a wonderful lunch reception followed at its hall.
Viva to our Portuguese Immigrants!