Paul Custodio has always valued hard work, family, and tradition. His story reflects the experiences of many Portuguese-American families who came to the United States in search of opportunity while striving to preserve the Azorean culture they brought with them. Through his life, his commitment to his community, and his pride in his heritage, my father has taught me the importance of remembering where we come from while continuing to work toward a better future.
Paul Custodio was born in Mozambique in 1972. Soon afterward, his family returned to São Jorge in the Azores. Although many people associate Portuguese Americans directly with Portugal or the Azores, my father’s story began in Africa, reflecting the broader patterns of Portuguese migration at the time. His full birth name is Rogério Paul D’Souza Custodio, the same name as his father. In 1975, when he was three years old, he and his family immigrated from São Jorge to the United States. Like many immigrant families, they came in search of greater opportunities and a better life for their children. His uncle had already completed the necessary paperwork in California, which ultimately brought the family to the Central Valley.
The transition to life in America was difficult, especially for my grandparents. One of their greatest challenges was learning English. Hard work and farming were familiar to them from their life in the Azores, but the language barrier created new obstacles. My father spoke so little English that he had to repeat kindergarten. Even today, his parents primarily speak Portuguese and rarely use English. Their experience reminds me how difficult it can be for immigrant families to adjust to a new language and culture while supporting their children and building a stable life.
Growing up within the Portuguese-American community had a profound influence on my father’s identity. Portuguese traditions were deeply rooted in his home because, as he put it, “that’s all they knew.” Portuguese was his first language, and the customs his parents had brought from the Azores were simply part of everyday life. His family continued to practice those customs while becoming part of American society. They attended Portuguese celebrations, took part in festas, and remained involved in the local community. These gatherings offered families a way to connect with one another and keep their heritage alive.
Some of my father’s strongest childhood memories are of festas and Holy Ghost celebrations. To him, these events were much more than social gatherings: they brought together Portuguese culture, faith, and community. Traditional foods such as sopas, linguiça, and morcela were prepared and shared. The celebrations featured parades, music, statues, queens, and religious ceremonies, connecting each generation to traditions that reached back through time. My father remembers feeling a deep sense of belonging whenever he attended.
His upbringing was also shaped by his family’s work in agriculture. My father explained that his family were farmworkers and that their lives revolved around work and responsibility. They did not have many luxuries or forms of entertainment beyond their community traditions. Yet this environment helped shape his work ethic. He believes hard work is “instilled in our blood” as Portuguese people, and that belief has influenced the way he has approached life, both personally and professionally.
As a Portuguese American raised in the United States, my father understood the importance of passing traditions on to his children. He believes that cultural traditions should not disappear because they tell the story of a family’s origins. Younger generations, he says, should learn about their roots so they can share those traditions with their own children. That is one reason he encouraged my siblings and me to take part in Portuguese festas and community activities as we were growing up.
My sister’s participation as a side attendant in Portuguese celebrations is one example. Queens and side attendants have important roles in Holy Ghost festas. My father saw these experiences as a way to keep our family connected to its heritage. He, too, took part by helping prepare food, carry statues, and assist with the celebrations. These acts may seem simple, but to him they expressed community pride and helped preserve a culture that had shaped his life.
Traveling to the Azores has also been important to my father. He has visited several times and says that stepping off the plane feels like coming home. Although he grew up in America, he remains deeply connected to the people and culture of the Azores. He wanted his children to experience the islands firsthand and understand where our family came from. He told us that even if we never had the chance to return, we would at least have those experiences and stories to pass on to our own families. The trips strengthened our connection to our Portuguese heritage and gave us memories we can carry forward.
My father has remained active in the Portuguese-American community throughout his life. The Portuguese Hall—especially the CPDES Hall—has been particularly important to him. He served on its board for eight and a half years and took pride in helping organize events and celebrations. Although the work was unpaid, he saw it as a meaningful way to give back to the community. Volunteering gave him a sense of pride because he was helping not only Portuguese Americans but the wider community as well.
My father describes the Portuguese community as a kind of brotherhood, where people support one another and remain connected through shared experiences and traditions. The halls and celebrations also introduce others to Portuguese culture. Visitors to CPDES Hall, for example, often admire the Queen Rooms, capes, crowns, and other displays, which reflect traditions extending back hundreds of years. Seeing others appreciate this history has deepened my father’s pride in his heritage.
Professionally, my father works for Machado Farms, a Portuguese-owned farm. His career reflects the significant Portuguese presence in California agriculture. He has worked for Portuguese-owned farms since he was nineteen. To him, this work represents values closely associated with his upbringing: hard work, dedication, and perseverance. At the same time, he recognizes the opportunities America has given him. As he puts it, in the United States, “the sky’s the limit”—success is possible through determination and effort. He sees the meeting of Portuguese work ethic and American opportunity as a source of possibility for his family and for other immigrants.
When asked what being Portuguese American means to him, my father answered with one word: “proud.” He believes people should never be ashamed of where they come from or of the journey that brought them here. Instead, they should celebrate their heritage and support their communities. For him, being Portuguese means honoring tradition, valuing family, working hard, and helping preserve a culture for generations to come.
My father recognizes that the Portuguese-American community has changed over time, even as its central values have endured. In the past, Portuguese organizations often depended on donations from prosperous dairymen and local businesses. Today, communities have had to find new ways to support their halls and celebrations, including fundraisers, drive-through meals, and food sales. These changes have not diminished the community’s spirit. People continue to work together to keep their traditions alive.
When I reflect on my father’s life, I see someone who has remained devoted to culture, family, and service. He has never forgotten where his family came from, and he has worked to ensure that my generation understands the sacrifices they made and the heritage they entrusted to us. Whether volunteering at the Portuguese Hall, taking part in festas, traveling to the Azores, or teaching his children about their roots, he has helped carry that heritage forward.
Most of all, my father’s story reminds me that culture is not simply something preserved in history books. It lives in traditions, stories, language, food, faith, and community. His experience as a Portuguese American speaks to the sacrifices immigrant families make to create better opportunities for their children, while still holding on to the customs that define them. From his example, I have learned the value of hard work, pride in one’s identity, and an enduring connection to family and tradition.
Adapted from an oral history project by Logan Custódio.
Vision
To illuminate the Azorean current flowing through California life: the memories, family ties, cultural traditions, and shared experiences through which generations of Portuguese Americans have helped shape the communities they call home.
Mission
As a Novidades segment of the Portuguese-American Oral History Program at PBBI, Fresno State, this project engages students in listening to, recording, and sharing the stories of Californians whose lives are connected to the Azores. Through these oral histories, it documents how Azorean heritage is remembered, renewed, and woven into California life across generations.