Dr. Pashko R. Camaj/
Last night at Vatra, we had the distinct honor and pleasure of welcoming Robert Lulgjuraj, a young man running for the United States Congress from Michigan’s 10th Congressional District. Robert can be described with one word: quintessential. He represents the quintessential Albanian-American story, someone we can all be proud of, a unifying figure who brings together Albanians from every state and region with the shared purpose of electing a true voice that reflects America’s interests and the values we uphold.
Robert embodies the real American journey, from humble beginnings rooted deeply in Malësia to a principled and determined run for Congress. With the support of our community and voters, he stands poised to become the first Albanian-American ever to serve in the U.S. Congress, a milestone that would mark a historic moment for all Albanians and for Vatra.
The evening’s discussion was enriched by contributions from the longstanding members of Vatra, Asllan Bushati and Ilir Cubi, as well as from Dritan Haxhia, who spoke thoughtfully about their experiences with Vatra and their perspectives on the path forward.
We reflected on our shared history and Vatra’s extraordinary legacy, but most importantly, we focused on the road ahead. Together, we explored meaningful ways in which our community can unite to support one of our own at this pivotal moment. Last night, we made it clear that Robert will have our full support, both from Vatra and from the broader Albanian-American community across this great nation of ours.