2023: A Year in Review
ISDA Financial Life total member assets have eclipsed $381 million, with millions more on the way from the fourth quarter of 2023. ISDA National President Basil M. Russo, National Controller Joann Blackwell, and Sales Manager Jim Laick have elevated ISDA to a world-class organization, which has posted a remarkable 533 percent spike in member asset growth from 2015 through Q3 of 2023. No other major Italian American organization comes close to our earnings, membership gains and online following.
Click here to view photography from the exceptional 2023 ISDA National Convention, held in Pittsburgh, PA, this past August.
In the last year alone, ISDA lodges have sprung up in Charlotte, Pensacola, Toronto, Louisiana and Arkansas, with two more coming together in Los Angeles and Cleveland’s Little Italy. With its founding traditions and 21st-century platforms, ISDA has positioned itself as a leader in deepening the value and impact of the Italian American experience.
Consider the following:
In Historic First, Italian American Delegation Welcomed to White House
At the request of President Basil Russo, First Lady Jill Biden graciously hosted a delegation of Italian American leaders at the White House on Oct. 12, 2023. Russo, who consulted with White House staff on the evening’s agenda, invited several ISDA officers, including ISDA National Vice President Joe Rosalina; Anthony Basso (VP-Illinois/Indiana); Marie Frank (VP-Ohio/Michigan); Danielle Salasavage (VP-Western New York); John Viola (VP-New York City); Patrick O’Boyle (VP-New Jersey); Charles Marsala (VP-Southern Louisiana); and Sharon Cerrone (VP-Western Pennsylvania). During the historic event, Dr. Biden recognized the sacrifices and celebrated the contributions Italian Americans have made to our country. The reception capped off a two-year effort by Russo, who also worked with President Joe Biden’s staff in crafting the 2022 and 2023 federal Columbus Day Proclamations, which present both a rich and unflinching acknowledgement of our ancestors’ battle for assimilation, and our culture’s rise in the U.S.
Italian American Future Leaders Returns
In January 2023, with the insight and support of ISDA leaders and members, John Viola and Basil Russo launched the Italian American Future Leaders (IAFL) Conference, which was devised to promote Italian heritage for today’s generations. The purpose of the IAFL Conference is to bring together aspiring Italian American leaders and provide them with a fellowship platform to express pride in their heritage, to formulate plans as to how they can unite Italian America’s younger generations, and to encourage them to begin assuming leadership roles in our various organizations. This conference was so successful, that it’s being conducted again in January 2024. Look for updates on “IAFL2” in La Nostra Voce or at www.iafuture.org
The Fight for Columbus in Pittsburgh
George Bochetto — the attorney representing ISDA in its fight to block the removal of Pittsburgh’s Columbus statue — presented legal arguments to the judges of the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania on Oct. 11. ISDA’s legal position, in part, stems from a 1955 ordinance that permitted the statue’s construction in Schenley Park; thus, an ordinance must similarly be voted upon and passed for the bronze monument to be removed.
Instead, in 2021, the Pittsburgh Art Commission voted to uproot the statue and the decision was approved by former Mayor Bill Peduto. “The Pittsburgh Home Rule Charter is clear that some rule-making authority is reserved for City Council, and the Mayor must comply with those rules once enacted. In this case, the City Council passed a binding ordinance to keep the Columbus Statue in Schenley Park. Unless and until that ordinance is repealed, the Mayor must comply with it,” said Bochetto. Updates on the Columbus lawsuit will be provided as they become available.
Raise the Torch
ISDA officers, lodge presidents, delegates, national councilors and the rank-and-file, every day, plan can’t-miss events, recruit new members, serve their communities, and pay tribute to their heritage. From the Fair Lady Frolic and Debutante Ball to the National Convention and local parades and programming, our lodges drive ISDA’s success from the ground up, creating a thriving cultural and financial not-for-profit faithfully built on Liberty, Unity and Duty. Here’s to 2024!
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