Ingredients

For pasta frolla:
2 ½ c flour
2/3 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2 tsp. lemon juice
3 drops vanilla extract
8 tbsp butter, unsalted

For Crema di Ricotta:
2 c whole-milk ricotta
½ c sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
¼ c chocolate chips
¼ c diced candied citron

Strawberry Sauce (process until smooth):
2 c frozen strawberries
1 lemon – juice and zest
½ c sugar

Instructions

1. For pasta frolla, sift flour, sugar, and baking powder into a large mixing bowl, then make a well in the center. Incorporate butter, lightly whisk together eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla in a separate bowl. Pour eggs into center of well in flour mixture. Gradually incorporate eggs into flour using a pastry cutter, until mixture is dry and crumbly. Add lemon juice until a soft, wet dough is formed.
2. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, lightly flour your hands, and knead just enough to form a smooth dough. Use a pastry scraper to help lift and knead dough, adding a little more flour if dough sticks to floured surface.
3. Drain ricotta and place in a bowl. Add sugar, vanilla, chocolate chips and citron to ricotta and mix well.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9″ cake pan, then set aside. Roll out three-quarters of the dough on a lightly floured surface into a round about 12″ in diameter and 1/4″ thick. Gently fold dough over rolling pin, then fit it into bottom of cake pan, with 2″-3″ of the dough coming up the side of the pan. Spoon in filling, spreading it evenly over dough. Fold pastry edges in over edge of ricotta filling. Roll out remaining dough to a thickness of about 1/4″. Cut into 1/2″-wide strips. Decorate top of cake with strips in a lattice pattern. Bake on a baking sheet in the middle of the oven until golden, 45-55 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on a cake rack for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
5. Serve with strawberry sauce.

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My Mother’s Kitchen:  The Kitchens of Taylor Street, by Louis Scalzo

Review by Pamela Dorazio Dean

By the turn of the 20th century, Chicago was home to one of the largest Italian immigrant populations in the United States. Between 1880 and 1920, thousands of immigrants from Southern Italy settled along Taylor Street on the city’s Near West Side. At its height, nearly one-third of Chicago’s Italian immigrants lived on and around that street, where family, faith, hard work, and food shaped everyday life. Like many ethnic enclaves across the country, Taylor Street gradually changed after World War II due to expressway construction, urban renewal, suburban migration, and the expansion of the University of Illinois. Today, while Taylor Street remains an important symbol of Chicago’s Italian American heritage, much of the vibrant community that once flourished there is only a memory.

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The parade will feature thousands of participants and attendees, elaborate floats, vintage cars, the famed Orlando bread truck, marching bands, local vendors, plus a variety of authentic Italian and Italian American fare along Mayfield and Murray Hill roads.

Parade Chairman Basil Russo — a local leader who has gone on to forge a nationwide Italian American advocacy coalition — prevented the abolishment of Columbus Day in Cleveland in 2019, spearheaded a lawsuit that restored the holiday in Philadelphia in 2025, and won a landmark appeal in Pittsburgh to halt the removal of the city’s 30-foot Columbus statue in 2024.

The most significant victory arrived this past spring when Russo, who leads both the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA) and the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations (COPOMIAO), teamed up with U.S. Congressman Mike Rulli and Saturday Night Live alum Joe Piscopo to broker the installation of a replica of Baltimore’s toppled Columbus statue in front of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, just steps from the White House.\

Meanwhile, COPOMIAO National Counsel George Bochetto recently filed a federal lawsuit demanding the reinstallation of Columbus, Ohio’s namesake statue, which was taken down by city leaders in 2020 amid civil unrest.

“The largest lynch mob ever to assemble on U.S. soil killed 11 innocent Italian immigrants in New Orleans in 1891, a shocking event that sparked global outrage,” said Russo. “To ease the crisis, then-U.S. President Benjamin Harrison declared the first national Columbus Day celebration in 1892, organizing a parade in NYC that drew over a million attendees. That outpouring inspired generations of Italian Americans to build Columbus statues and hold parades, not to glorify conquest, but to establish their place in American society and honor their heritage. In celebrating Columbus Day, we observe our ancestors’ perseverance and sacrifice.”

Cleveland’s Columbus Day celebrations, sponsored by ISDA, date back to 1920 when several Italian American enclaves across the city paid homage to their heritage. After World War II, the parade unified and was held downtown before eventually moving to Little Italy in 2004.

Attendees are invited to Columbus Day Mass, which will be held at Holy Rosary Church on Mayfield Road on October 12 at 10 a.m.

The 2026 Cleveland Columbus Day Parade Grand Marshal will be announced soon!

The post Cleveland’s Columbus Day Parade Marches Forward This October in Little Italy appeared first on Italian Sons and Daughters of America.

By Chef Nick Stellino, www.nickstellino.com

INGREDIENTS

1 cup fresh, firmly packed, basil leaves, washed and dried

3 peeled garlic cloves roughly chopped

1/2 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons of softened butter

1 lb. of rigatoni, or linguine or penne or spaghetti pasta

DIRECTIONS

For the Pesto Sauce:

• Process the basil, garlic, and pine nuts to a smooth paste in a food processor. Add the cheese, salt, and pepper, and pulse to mix well.
• With the machine running, add the olive oil in a slow stream until completely mixed. Set aside.

For the Pasta:

1. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the salt and pasta and cook to the package directions.
2. Right before the pasta is ready, cook the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat until it sizzles.
3. Drain the pasta add to the pan with the sizzling butter and cook, stirring well, over medium heat for one more minute. Turn off the heat.
4. Pour in ½ of the pesto sauce and stir well. Serve immediately.

Bring the extra sauce to the table…Trust me do it, you will be asked for more!

This recipe will appear in the August 2026 edition of La Nostra Voce, ISDA’s monthly newspaper that chronicles Italian American news, history, culture and food. Subscribe today!

The post Italian Recipe: Pasta with Pesto Sauce appeared first on Italian Sons and Daughters of America.

By Maria Costanzo

In July, Cleveland’s historic Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood celebrated a milestone: the 100th anniversary of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish (West).

In the late 1800s, many Italian families settled on Cleveland’s West Side, bringing with them deep devotions to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Saint Anthony, and Saint Rocco. Fr. Sante Gattuso, a Mercedarian Friar from the Diocese of Youngstown, arrived in the area in 1924 and began meeting with the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Mutual Help Society. Soon, a makeshift chapel took shape in a storefront belonging to the Fasano family. A small statue of Our Lady was placed inside, and the women of the neighborhood gathered nightly to pray the rosary, their prayers united by a shared hope for a permanent church of their own. Mass was celebrated in the little chapel on an altar fashioned from an old saloon table. On July 16, 1925, Mass was offered for the second time in honor of the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, followed by a procession of the statue through the neighborhood streets.

In 1926, the community’s prayers were coming to fruition. On Palm Sunday, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Mission was officially established, and Mass was held in a larger chapel converted from an old saloon on W. 69th Street, originally owned by Mr. Pasquale Zitiello. As the number of registered families grew, the parish began offering catechism classes, Sunday Mass, and Saturday afternoon Confessions, and new groups began to form, including the St. Agnes Sodality, the Società Zione Cattolica, the Our Lady of Mercy Sodality, and a growing corps of altar boys. By 1932, Bishop Schrembs gave his blessing to Fr. Sante and Fr. Vincent Caruso to purchase property on Detroit Avenue and begin renovating a home into a chapel. That same year, the community held its first parish picnic on York Road at McKinley Park in Parma, Ohio.

On April 24th, 1949, the cornerstone of the church you see today was laid at West 70th and Detroit Avenue, thanks to the donations and passion of the hard working families in the surrounding area. In September of 1949, Our Lady of Mount Carmel School was opened with 50 students under the guidance of the Trinitarian Sisters.  Finally, in 1966, the Bishop made it official: Our Lady of Mount Carmel became an independent parish.

Many priests have led the parish through these 100 years. In 1967, Fr. Marino Frascati began the first Neighborhood Rehabilitation Project, which would develop into the Villa Mercede and Nolasco Housing. In 1997, Fr. Richard Rausch brought the Mercedarian Sisters to the school, and, in 1999, established the Alumni Association.  Fr. Joseph Eddy led the parish through covid, and Fr. James Chia served as the last Mercedarian in charge of OLMC until 2023 when the Diocese of Cleveland took over. Fr. Robert Kropac served as Administrator until his passing on July 5th, 2026, helping us keep the Italian heritage alive with his knowledge of the Italian language and customs. The 11:30 a.m. mass, which Fr. Jeff Barnish and others preside over on Sundays, is split between Italian and English. Special masses in Italian are offered on the feast days of Saints Padre Pio, Anthony, Joseph, and Our Lady of Mount Carmel with receptions that follow. During Lent, the Stations of the Cross are said in Italian one evening and in English another. Italian language classes are offered during the year.

The parish’s 100th anniversary in July featured 5 nights of live music, the Villa Ristorante, a Scopa tournament, a homemade wine and spirits contest, authentic recipes, a pasta eating contest, children’s attractions, games of chance, and the famous grocery stand.

The church was also open for Adoration every evening, and, of course, the Procession of the Saints took place.  Mass was celebrated by Auxilory Bishop Woost and was so packed it was standing room only. The procession was full of beauty and joy from both onlookers and people walking in it.  

Close to Home

My family has been part of this neighborhood since they arrived in America. Both of my dad’s parents and my mom’s mother hailed from Coreno; however, my mom’s father’s family emigrated from a town called Petrulo (now called Calvi Risorta) in the northern part of Campania. Her grandfather came to America in the early 1900s to work and served in the U.S. Army in World War I, while my family from Coreno came to America after World War II. I knew he arrived before my family from Coreno, but I never really thought about it in relation to the growth of OLMC. Like many of the families still involved with the parish, my ancestors have been here almost since the beginning. My Grandpa Bonacci and Great-Uncle Joe served as altar boys when they were children, as did other family members after them, and one of my great-aunts taught at the school as a young woman.

When my family members came from Coreno, they too settled in the neighborhood and joined the parish. My Grandma and Grandpa Bonacci owned an ice cream store on Detroit Road. My brother and I were baptized here, confirmed here, and attended the Italian Mass on Sundays, even after we’d moved to the other side of town. We used to run around the school cafeteria while our mom helped cut up peppers and onions for the festival. As we got older, we contributed too — my brother served as an altar server, and I joined the St. Agnes Sodality, danced with the Italian Dance group, and now serve on the parish council.

To this day, I walk down the street and visit cousins and friends. Like the people who started this parish’s mission, it is not just a building to me — it is home. Though some things change, and some of the festival traditions may look different over the years, one thing remains the same: a community coming together to celebrate what our ancestors built.

Learn more about Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, here. 

The post 100 Years & Still Home: Our Lady of Mount Carmel’s Italian American Legacy appeared first on Italian Sons and Daughters of America.

By Chef Nick Stellino

Ingredients

1 lb pasta, penne or rigatoni

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

½ tsp red pepper flakes (for really spicy use a full teaspoon but really think before you do it!)

4 garlic cloves, thickly sliced

3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

1½ c tomato sauce

¾ c chicken stock (or pasta water)

4 tbsp Romano or parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Bring a pot of water to boil, add the pasta and undercook by two minutes as per the suggested time printed on the package. We will finish cooking the pasta in the sauce for the perfect al dente consistency.
2. While the pasta is cooking make the sauce.
3. In large sauce pan add the oil and cook over medium heat. Add the red pepper flakes and the garlic. Stir well until the garlic starts to brown, one to two minutes. Add two tablespoons of parsley to the pan and stir well, be careful and move gently as there will be some splash back with the hot oil.
4. Now add the tomato sauce, chicken stock and bring to a boil whilst stirring occasionally for five minutes.
5. When the pasta has finished cooking add it to the simmering sauce and cook for three minutes. Stir thoroughly to completely coat the pasta and until most of the sauce has been absorbed by the pasta.
6. Now turn off the heat, add the cheese and stir it into the pasta until all the cheese has been absorbed by the pasta and sauce mixture.
7. Serve in individual dishes and top with more fresh parsley and cheese.

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Every August 15th, Italians pause their routines to celebrate Ferragosto, one of the most anticipated holidays of the year. Deeply rooted in history and bursting with summer charm, Ferragosto is more than just a day off, it’s a cultural cornerstone that reflects Italy’s traditions, religious heritage, and love of leisure.

Origins of Ferragosto

The name Ferragosto derives from the Latin phrase “Feriae Augusti”, meaning “August rest.” This term was coined by the Roman Emperor Augustus in 18 BC, as part of a month-long period of festivities designed to provide rest after the intense labor of the agricultural season. These ancient celebrations, which included horse races and games, were also intended to bolster the emperor’s image and unite his empire through shared traditions.

Over time, Feriae Augusti merged with earlier pagan festivals that celebrated harvests and nature. With the spread of Christianity, the holiday took on a new religious significance. In the Catholic tradition, August 15th is the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, commemorating the belief that Mary was assumed body and soul into Heaven. Thus, Ferragosto today represents both a secular celebration of summer and a religious holy day.

National Holiday Status

Ferragosto is a national public holiday in Italy. Virtually all businesses, government offices, and services shut down for the day (if not for the entire week). Italians take this opportunity to escape city life, head to the coast or countryside, and spend quality time with family and friends.

Because it falls in the middle of August, Ferragosto marks the peak of the Italian summer vacation season. Many Italians plan their entire holidays around this date. It’s common for cities, especially major urban centers like Florence or Milan, to feel almost deserted during this time, at least empty of locals. While beach towns and mountain resorts become crowded and lively, filled with said locals!

How Italians Celebrate Ferragosto

Although Ferragosto has both religious and historical roots, the way it’s celebrated today is largely social and recreational. The atmosphere is festive, casual, and deeply tied to Italy’s natural beauty and culinary traditions.

1. Family Gatherings and Outdoor Feasts

One of the most beloved Ferragosto traditions is the big family meal, often held outdoors. Whether in a seaside villa, mountain cabin, or public park, Italians gather to enjoy long, leisurely lunches that stretch well into the afternoon.

The menu typically features seasonal and regional specialties. In the south, you might find arancini (stuffed rice balls), grilled seafood, or eggplant parmigiana, while the north may serve cold rice salads, roast meats, and fresh fruit. Watermelon, known as anguria, is a popular dessert staple. Many people bring homemade wine or enjoy local varieties to accompany the meal.

2. Beach Trips and Picnics

For those not hosting or attending a family meal, the next best option is a day trip to the beach, mountains, or countryside. Italians pack their cars with umbrellas, coolers, folding chairs, and children, and head to nature to escape the heat.

On the beach, Ferragosto becomes a party: music, games, swimming, sunbathing, and even spontaneous dancing break out. Some coastal towns organize public concerts, fireworks, or festivals, adding to the celebratory atmosphere.

3. Religious Observances

While the secular elements of Ferragosto dominate, many Italians still observe the religious significance of the Assumption. Churches hold special Masses, and in some towns, processions featuring a statue of the Virgin Mary are conducted through the streets.

In places like Sicily, Naples, and rural Umbria, these processions can be elaborate, blending Catholic devotion with centuries-old local customs, music, and costume.

4. Ferragosto Festivals and Events

Italy is known for its local festivals, or sagre, and Ferragosto is often the centerpiece of summer events. Small towns host traditional folklore displays, music performances, food fairs, and competitions such as donkey races or rowing regattas.

A particularly famous event is the Palio di Siena, held on August 16th, just after Ferragosto. This historic horse race through Siena’s medieval square dates back to the 17th century and draws thousands of spectators each year.

Modern Ferragosto and Its Challenges

In recent decades, Ferragosto has evolved in response to changing lifestyles and economic pressures. While it remains a cherished holiday, fewer Italians take long vacations due to rising costs, work demands, or environmental concerns. Some choose to travel abroad, while others celebrate more modestly at home or with friends.

There’s also a growing awareness of the environmental impact of mass travel during Ferragosto. Congested roads, crowded beaches, and excess waste have prompted local authorities to encourage more sustainable practices, such as using public transport or choosing lesser-known destinations.

Still, the spirit of Ferragosto endures: rest, reflection, good food, and good company.

Ferragosto Facts

• Fireworks displays are common across Italy on Ferragosto night, lighting up coastal skies and town squares.
• The Italian phrase “Buon Ferragosto!” is widely used like “Happy Holidays,” even in text messages and social media.
• Some airlines and trains offer discounted Ferragosto fares, though they can sell out months in advance.

Ferragosto is a vibrant fusion of history, faith, and the Italian zest for life. What began as an imperial holiday in ancient Rome has transformed into a joyous occasion for food, family, and a break from the hustle and heat of summer. Whether marked by solemn Mass or seaside merriment, Ferragosto is a window into Italian culture at its most heartfelt and festive.

Buon Ferragosto a Tutti!

The post Why All of Italy Shuts Down Every August 15, and Has for 2,000 Years appeared first on Italian Sons and Daughters of America.

The Court of Justice of the European Union, the top judicial institution of the EU, based in Luxembourg, could wipe out the controversial citizenship law, forcing the Italian government to rewrite and pass new legislation.

U-turn, about-face, backpedal — all of the above.

The Italian Constitutional Court is now asking the European Union’s Court of Justice to rule on whether the country’s citizenship-by-descent restrictions violate EU law.

This decision by the constitutional court completely undermines its own ruling, which upheld Italy’s 2025 law imposing harsh restrictions on qualifying for Italian citizenship.

Imposed without warning in March 2025, the restrictions limit eligibility only to those with an Italian parent or grandparent — a move that sent shockwaves through the Italian diaspora, as millions were suddenly cut off from pursuing citizenship to Italy and thousands were severed mid-application.

EU case law, over the past three decades, has consistently held that citizenship can’t be stripped away abruptly, disproportionately, or without warning.

“It’s a 180-degree change of direction,” Marco Mellone, one of four attorneys fighting the law head-on, told CNN. “It’s a confession that they made a mistake … they had the chance to refer it three months ago and didn’t, it’s clear they changed their opinion.”

The challenge hinges on whether claimants were born Italians with unrecognized citizenship, as long-established Italian case law had ruled.

If the ECJ rules against the citizenship restrictions, they will be completely wiped out, leaving the Italian government to write new legislation that complies with EU rules.

The final ruling could take months, or more than a year, to come down.

The ‘Minor Issue’ Is No More 

The Corte Suprema di Cassazione (Italy’s Supreme Court) in late July struck down the “minor issue,” thanks in part to advocacy that was led by Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA).

In 2024, Italy’s Ministry of the Interior introduced a controversial rule known as the “minor issue.”

Under the rule, if an Italian citizen had a child abroad, and then that parent naturalized in another country — becoming, say, a U.S. citizen — while the child was still a minor, the child’s tie to Italian citizenship was considered broken. That meant not just the child, but all of their descendants, would lose any claim to citizenship through that parent.

The sudden implementation of the issue cut off those whose applications for Italian citizenship were already in progress, but thanks to today’s ruling, thousands of dual citizenship applications are revived.

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Russo opened by praising NIABA for spotlighting the contributions of Italian American judges and lawyers and thanked the association for its continued support of COPOMIAO. That support recently deepened, with two NIABA affiliates joining the coalition as it continues to unify and amplify Italian American voices nationwide.

It didn’t take long for that unity to show results. In New York City, when Mayor Mamdani’s administration failed to include Manhattan’s Little Italy on the city’s official tourist map of ethnic enclaves, Italian Americans pushed back, together. The city reversed course and Mr. Mamdani pledged to add Little Italy to the list.

The momentum isn’t just local, it’s legal. Russo credited COPOMIAO National Counsel George Bochetto with a string of wins preserving Columbus Day and Columbus statues through sustained litigation, much of it pro bono work.

The board applauded the mention of a newly filed lawsuit to force the City of Columbus, Ohio, to return its Columbus statue to its place of honor in front of City Hall. Several board members said that NIABA, at the appropriate time, would recommend filing an amicus curiae brief in support of the federal suit.

“When this community moves as one, we affect change,” said Russo, who also leads the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA), a member organization of COPOMIAO. “Whether before a judge or in the court of public opinion, we advance cogent arguments that lead to potent advocacy.”

COPOMIAO’s Columbus campaign has reached the highest levels of government with the placement of the navigator’s statue on the White House campus in Washington, D.C. this past spring.

It’s generational, too. Russo pointed to the Italian American Future Leaders (IAFL) program as a clear sign this collective is built to last. He urged board members to send the younger attorneys in their networks to IAFL’s annual national convention held in South Florida in January. Their participation, he said, is how the momentum gets carried forward.

And once again, it’s global. This September, a COPOMIAO delegation will travel to Rome to meet with Italy’s top political leaders — part of a push to deepen the cultural bond between Italian Americans and their ancestral homeland. Russo announced the delegation had also secured an audience with Pope Leo XIV later this summer in Vatican City.

Related story: Italian American Leaders Meet With Pope Francis and Government Officials to Reaffirm Our Community’s Religious and Cultural Ties to Italy

Each of these threads is its own story. Together, they’re something bigger: proof that Italian American organizations are moving in a shared direction COPOMIAO has spent years charting — a vision that has kept Russo in steady demand nationwide, addressing 17 major organizations in the past three years alone.

These aren’t isolated wins. They’re the product of collaboration across 77 member organizations.

In 1930, immigrant families banded together to create the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA), now one of the most prominent and financially successful Italian American organizations in the nation. In the last decade, we built a 730,000-strong social media community, grew our not-for-profit fraternal association, ISDA Financial Life, to nearly a half billion dollars in member assets, co-founded the Russo Brothers Italian American Filmmaker Forum (RBIAFF), and launched the fastest-growing Italian American publication (La Nostra Voce). 

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Mayor Zohran Mamdani said last month that he would revise a city map of New York’s immigrant neighborhoods after facing days of criticism over an omission that incensed the Italian American community at large.

The map, published by the city, highlighted 30 neighborhoods across the five boroughs, including three separate Chinatowns as well as Little Bangladesh, Little Pakistan, Little Poland and Little Yemen. It did not include Little Italy, or any distinctly Irish or Jewish enclaves.

Under pressure, Mr. Mamdani said Little Italy and other long-recognized immigrant communities would be added to the list.

The map’s release, which coincided with an influx of international visitors to the city for World Cup matches, prompted swift criticism from Italian American organizations, as it was the latest sign of our community being edged out of NYC’s civic life.

The mayor sought to place the blame on his predecessor, Eric Adams.

“When we inherited the list, we added a few additional neighborhoods,” Mr. Mamdani said. “It’s clearly not an exhaustive list of the more than 200 ethnic communities that call our city home. We are going to be making additional changes in the future to reflect that.”

A spokesperson for Mr. Adams disputed that characterization.

A Well-Organized Response

For much of the past century, Italian American advocacy groups were a fractured lot, rarely uniting behind a common cause. That began to change 12 years ago, when Hon. Basil M. Russo was elected to lead the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA), and later, the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations (COPOMIAO), an umbrella group representing 77 groups nationwide.

Under Mr. Russo, longstanding rivalries and internal divisions gave way to a more coordinated response to what members viewed as recurring attacks, among them efforts to rename or remove Columbus Day observances and monuments, and what many in the community describe as a persistent marginalization in civic and cultural discourse.

Mr. Russo also built one of the largest Italian American social media networks in the country, a platform he has used to mobilize hundreds of thousands of Italian Americans in defense of the community’s culture, history and traditions.

Mr. Mamdani is only the latest official to encounter that mobilized response.

Much as he did during his own mayoral campaign, Italian American advocates increasingly rely on social media and nonprofit organizing to press their case, an approach that groups like the ISDA and COPOMIAO have refined into an advocacy operation that continues to amplify itself year after year.

“In our community, respect is very much a two-way street,” Mr. Russo said. “Too often, elected officials have marginalized our history and culture when it’s politically convenient. We’re pleased that Mr. Mamdani is seeking to reverse this blunder, and we believe he and politicians at large now understand that Italian Americans are strongly united in pursuing every avenue available to us to defend and uphold our heritage.”

Read on: Italian American Leaders Turn the Tide in Fight for Columbus

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