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Press Release: Dia de Portugal Statement from The national organization of POrtuguese AMericans June 10, 2010 |
Today, on June 10th, NOPA's Board of Directors and Advisory Council send their warm greetings to all those celebrating Dia de Portugal. Today we celebrate the life of Luís Vaz de Camões, the renowned Portuguese poet who died on June 10, 1580 whose epic verses immortalized the prominent role played by Portugal in the great age of exploration and discovery. Today's observance is also a special time to reflect on Portugal's remarkable achievements, history, and traditions.
Although there are many significant dates on Portugal's rich historical calendar, June 10th is regarded as a National Day both in Portugal and by members of the Portuguese-American community of the United States whose roots are traceable back to the middle of the 19th century. And, today, more than two million citizens and residents of the United States are of Portuguese heritage. Our Portuguese-American community has produced leaders in academia, arts, business, government, journalism, sports, and many more have forged a well-deserved reputation as honest, hard-working and grateful contributors to the United States.
Best wishes, and we hope you enjoy the celebration.
To view the message from Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton on the behalf of President Obama Click Here.
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Press Release: NOPA Celebrates 1st Year Anniversary and Accomplishments
June 3, 2010 |
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The National Organization of Portuguese-Americans May 12, 2010 |
NOPA's Statement on Immigration Reform
The National Organization of Portuguese Americans (NOPA) recognizes that the United States' outdated immigration system is igniting counterproductive reactions throughout the country, like the recent passage of SB 1070 in Arizona. This law allows a police officer in Arizona to question and, if necessary, arrest and detain any person if the person fails to provide adequate identification and the officer suspects that the individual is in the United States unlawfully. While the law is extremely popular in the state, with 70 percent of Arizona voters approving of it and just 23 percent opposing it, it has raised controversy. As a response, Gov. Jan Brewer signed a follow-up bill on April 29th, approved by Arizona legislators, that makes revisions to SB 1070 -- changes she stated that should quell concerns that the original law would lead to racial profiling. With this new bill, no one can be asked about their immigration status unless they had committed an offense as a predicate to the police officer having stopped them. Please click here for full message.
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Press Release: NOPA Welcomes New Members to its Board of Directors & Advisory Council March 8th, 2010 |
The National Organization of Portuguese Americans (NOPA), in compliance of its bylaws, has expanded its Board of Directors and Advisory Council so that our organization is representative of the community we serve. Not only is NOPA committed to maintaining equal representation of women and men on the board, we have a commitment to ensure that the Portuguese American community has proper representation on NOPA's leadership by including seats on the Board of Directors that represent the clubs, nonprofits, corporate, and elected officials.
On behalf of NOPA's Executive Committee, Arcindo Santos (Chair), Jason Moreira (Vice-Chair), Tony Ferreira (Treasurer), and Mary Jo Rodrigues (Secretary), I am proud to welcome the following new board members: Please Click Here for Complete Message