New York Portuguese American Leadership Conference (NYPALC)

The New York Portuguese American Leadership Conference (NYPALC) is the association of Portuguese organizations in the state of New York.

Currently with 62 member organizations, NYPALC represents over 180,000 Portuguese and Portuguese-Americans, alongside other national organizations with the mission to represent, promote and defend the interests and rights of the Portuguese community in New York.

BOARD

• President | Isabelle Coelho Marques
• Vice-President | Rosa Leal
• Vice-President | Cristina Santos Marques
• Treasurer | Ana Maria Miranda
• Treasurer | Ermelinda Gomes
• Secretary | Benvinda Santos
• Secretary | Fernando Santos
• Legal Counsel | Tony Castro

• President Emeritus | Gabriel Marques

MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS

The 62 organizations members of NYPALC are:

• Academia Bacalhau – Long Island
• Academia Bacalhau – New York
• Alheirense Cultural Center
• Casa do F.C. Porto
• Casa do Benfica
• Casa do Sporting
• American Foundation for Charities of Portugal
• Arte Institute
• Daughters of Portugal
• Escola Antero Figueiredo
• Escola Francisco Sa Carneiro
• Escola D. Nuno Alvares Pereira
• Escola Fernando Pessoa
• Escola Fernao Magalhaes
• Escola Joao de Deus
• Escola Rainha Santa Isabel
• Escola Infante D. Henrique
• Escola Julio Dinis
• Escola S. Teotonio
• Farmingville Portuguese Soccer Academy
• Farmingville Portuguese American Riders
• Hudson Valley Portuguese American Community Center
• Long Island Portuguese American Club
• Long Island Portuguese Lions Club
• Lusitano Bulls S.C.
• Luso American Cultural Center
• Luso American Riders Group
• Mineola Portuguese Center
• Mineola Portuguese Soccer Club
• Murtosa Group
• National Celiac Disease Society
• New York Portugas
• Ossining Portuguese Center
• PCU Lodge 51
• Portuguese American Club
• The New Rochelle Portuguese American Club
• Portuguese American Club of Suffolk
• Portuguese American Riders
• Portuguese Stars Soccer Academy
• Portuguese American Community Center
• Portuguese American Cultural Center
• Portuguese Circle
• Portuguese Heritage Society – Lusitano
• Portuguese Recreation Club
• Portuguese American Post Graduate Society – New York Chapter
• Rancho Beleza do Minho
• Rancho Raizes do Minho
• Rancho Juventude e Sonhos de Portugal
• Ranchos Aldeias de Portugal
• Rancho Amigos do Minho
• South Jamaica Portuguese S.C.
• Grupo Transmontano

HISTORY

The New York Portuguese Leadership Conference (NYPALC) was founded in 2012, by 12 organizations in the village of Mineola (Long Island) who joined together in celebration of a Portugal Day event, first held at the Legislative Chambers of Nassau County. After the success of the first event, NYPALC grew to 18 organizations and a second event was scheduled for the following year.

In 2013, then-Ambassador of Portugal to the United States H.E. Nuno Brito had heard about the cohesiveness of the community and asked to attend the Celebration in his first and only official visit to Long Island during his term. The 2013 Nassau County Portugal Day Celebration drew almost 600 attendees representing more than 20 organizations.

By 2014, NYPALC membership soared to over 36 organizations and now included the communities of Suffolk, Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan Counties. The Portugal Day Celebration was moved to the Portuguese Center of Suffolk in Farmingville to accommodate the large number of attendees, while Mineola would serve as the location for a new Portugal Day Parade and LIPAC Brentwood would host the first Miss Luso New York pageant in over 15 years.

In 2015, the communities of Westchester and the Hudson Valley joined NYPALC and a new annual event, the New York Portuguese Youth Conference was added to their portfolio, hosted at the Yonkers Portuguese Community Center.

Later that same year, the Portuguese American Civic Association of New York State (PCANYS), founded in 1976, merged with NYPALC, effectively unifying the community in New York after over 15 years in disarray.

As of January 2017, 62 Portuguese organizations in New York are part of the NYPALC family.

CONTACTS

Contact: [email protected]
Press inquiries: [email protected]