The Spanish Hawaiian Heritage Association was formed in 2023, after the inaugural International Congress of Spanish Emigrants to Hawaii and California (1880-1930).

57 Spanish Hawaiian descendants from Arizona, California, Oregon, and Pennsylvania attended the conference. This initial congress was held by Club Universo Extremeño in Jarandilla de la Vera, Coria and Cáceres and Malaga from 10- 26-2022 to 11- 4-2022.

It recognized the 8,000 Spanish emigrants who embarked from the port of Malaga and Gibraltar between 1907 and 1913 bound for the sugar cane plantations of the Hawaiian Islands on the ships; SS Heliopolis SS Orteric SS Willesden, SS Ascot and SS Willesden. Due to difficult conditions on plantations, many families later left for California. Their descendants still live in the state, and across the US.

Primary researchers, and conference organizers were Manuel Trinidad of the University of Extremadura, and Miguel Alba Trujillo, of the University of Malaga.