Page 3 - Italian-American Herald - October 2022

ITALIAN-AMERICAN HERALD
SPONSORED CONTENT
OCTOBER2022 | ITALIANAMERICANHERALD.COM 3
OFFICERS
Basil M. Russo, President
Robert A. Bianchi Esq., Vice President Frank N. De Frank, M.D., Vice President Joan Prezioso, Vice President
John Viola, Vice President
Prof. Santi Buscemi, Treasurer
Hon. Dominic R. Massaro, Chair Emeritus Joseph Sciame, Chair Emeritus Rosemary DeLuca, Secretary
MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS
Columbus Heritage Coalition
Italian American One Voice Coalition Italian American War Veterans of US Italian Sons and Daughters of America National Italian American Bar Association Order Sons & Daughters of Italy in America OSDIA-Commission for Social Justice
Sons of Italy Foundation
UNICO National
A Chance in Life (Boys’ & Girls’ Towns of Italy) American Delegation of the Sacred Military
Constantinian Order of Saint George American Italian Renaissance Foundation American Italian Federation of the Southeast Arizona Italian American Chamber of Commerce Association of Italian American Educators Canicattinese Society
Coalition of Italo American Association Coccia Foundation
Colorado Italian American Foundation Columbus Citizens Foundation
Columbus Monument Corporation, Syracuse Cooley’s Anemia Foundation. Inc. Delaware Commission on Italian Heritage
and Culture
Filitalia International & Foundation
Fra Noi Magazine
Garibaldi Meucci Museum
Italian Academy Foundation
Italian American Alliance
Italian American Baseball Foundation
Italian American Club of Nevada
Italian American Committee on Education Italian American Democratic Leadership Council Italian American Legal Defense Fund, Inc. Italian American Museum
Italian American Museum of Los Angeles
Italian American Podcast
Italian American Political Action Committee Italian American Women of Iowa
Italian Association (Arizona)
Italian Cultural Society of Sacramento
Italian Heritage and Culture Committee
of the Bronx and Westchester.
Italian Heritage and Culture Committee of NY Inc. Italian Language Foundation, Inc.
Italian Welfare League
Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans Justinian Society of Lawyers
La Festa Italiana di Lackawanna County
Lt. Det. Joseph Petrosino Association in America National Columbus Education Foundation National Council of Columbia Associations
Nat’l Council for Promotion of Italian
Language in American Schools. Inc. NJ Italian Heritage Commission OSDIA- Grand Lodge of Ohio
Ohio ISDA Community Foundation, Inc. PRIMO Magazine
The Italian Cultural Foundation at Casa Belvedere
Tuscan Association of New York, Inc. UN1CO Foundation
September 9, 2022
The Honorable Joseph R. Biden, Jr. The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President,
In October of last year, the Conference
of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations (COPOMIAO) wrote to you to express our community’s collective concern with respect to the proclamations you issued pertaining to Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day. Those proclamations left the nation confused
as Indigenous Peoples Day was linked to the historically celebrated Federal holiday originally recognized and enacted by President Harrison in 1892. That year’s Federal holiday, recognizing the 400th Anniversary of the landing of Columbus, was adopted as a way of easing tensions among America and Italy after a brutal lynching of eleven innocent Sicilian
men in New Orleans, the largest mass lynching in our history.
Last year’s proclamation implies that Indigenous Peoples Day should be celebrated on Columbus Day. The entire month of November is duly recognized as Native America Heritage month
and August 9th is recognized as the international celebration of Indigenous People Day. We understand your efforts to bring unification to the Nation after two unwieldy years from managing a national health crisis. However, the optics of contaminating the focus and purpose of a recognized traditional Federal holiday for Columbus, with another purpose or focus, rewards one group of Americans politically, at the expense of another. This of course is not a demonstration of a
unifying policy, but rather something less.
To be clear, the Italian American community across America respects and supports an Indigenous Peoples Day celebration, which should be celebrated with a singular focus in November or by expanding the existing international celebration of Indigenous People on August 9th either of which the Italian American community happily supports. At the same time the Italian American community requires the same level of respect for our historical, traditional celebration of Columbus Day which reflects the value of all immigrants and their added value to the fabric of this Nation. This action, to remove a day celebrated by Italian Americans for generations, although unintentional, was clear and most disrespectful to the upwards of 20 million Americans who identify as having roots in Italy.
Most recently, Mr. President, you have stressed that our democracy is on the
line in the upcoming mid-term elections. Indeed, that is true. But an equally profound threat to our democracy is any policy of exclusion, of favoring one group of Americans over another.
We would appreciate a few moments
of your time to reach common sense solutions. This will allow all of us to come away from this more united, not divided. The magic of democracy is most notable
This message is brought to you by the COPOMIAO and its Member Organizations
when each of us can celebrate our unique heritage and cultural traditions and accomplishments, as well as respecting the traditions and accomplishments of all ethnic groups, which make up the fabric of America.
We therefore again respectfully request the opportunity to meet with you and your staff advisors, in person, to discuss more specific language recognizing the contributions of Italian Americans in this year’s Columbus Day proclamation from the White House.
A meeting with you and your staff would provide an opportunity for a discussion to avert unintended misperceptions and help move the nation closer to unification, without promoting the culture and heritage of one group of Americans at the expense of another.
Kindly contact my office prior to September 14th to schedule this important meeting and discuss any required security clearance protocols for our attendees.
Respectfully,
Basil M. Russo, President
Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations (COPOMIAO) On behalf of all the member organizations of COPOMIAO
Columbus Heritage Coalition,
Angelo Vivolo, President
Italian American One Voice Coalition,
André DiMino, President
Italian American War Veterans of US
Anthony Ficarri, National Commandere
Italian Sons and Daughters of America
Basil M. Russo, President
National Italian American Bar Association
Francis M. Donnarumma, President
A Chance in Life (Boys’ & Girls’ Towns of Italy)
Gabriele Delmonaco, President
Arizona Italian American Chamber of Commerce
Pete Melucci, President
Association of Italian American Educators
Josephine Maietta, President
American Delegation of the Sacred Military
Constantinian Order of Saint George Patrick O’Boyle, Vice Delegate
American Italian Renaissance Foundation
Frank Maselli, Chairman
American Italian Federation of the Southeast
Charles Marsala, President
Canicattinese Society
Paul Pirrotta, President
Order Sons & Daughters of Italy in America
Robert A. Bianchi, Esq.
OSDIA-Commission for Social Justice
Robert Ferrito, President
Sons of Italy Foundation
Joseph Sciame, President
UNICO National
Dr. Peter Pettinato, President
Coalition of Italo American Association
Uff. Cavaliere Maria Fosco
Coccia Foundation
Elisa Coccia, President
Colorado Italian American Foundation
Gerald L. Carleo, Chairman
Columbus Citizens Foundation
Chris Loiacono, President
Columbus Monument Corporation, Syracuse
Mark Nicotra, President
Cooley’s Anemia Foundation. Inc.
Craig Butler, Executive Director
Delaware Commission on Italian Heritage & Culture, Richard A. DiLiberto, Jr.
Filitalia International & Foundation
Paula DeSanctis-Bonavitacola, President
Fra Noi Magazine
Paul Basile, Editor
Garibaldi Meucci Museum
Carl Ciaccio, Chairman
Italian Academy Foundation
Stefano Acunto, Chairman
Italian American Alliance
James Di Stefano, President
Italian American Baseball Foundation
Joseph J. Quagliano, President
Italian American Club of Southern Nevada
Angelo A. Cassaro, President
Italian American Committee on Education
Berardo Paradiso, President
Italian American Democratic Leadership Council, Jim Rosapepe, Vice Chairman
Italian American Legal Defense Fund, Inc.
Santi Buscemi, Vice President
Italian American Museum
Dr. Joseph V. Scelsa, President
Italian American Museum of Los Angeles
Marianna Gatto, Executive Director
Italian American Podcast
Stephanie Longo, Associate Producer
Italian American Political Action Committee
James C. Lisa, President
Italian American Women of Iowa
Jennifer Caito-Ellingson, President
Italian Association of Arizona
Francesco Guzzo, Executive Director
Italian Cultural Society of Sacramento
William Cerruti, Executive Director
Italian Heritage and Culture Committee
of NY Inc., Joseph Sciame, President
Italian Language Foundation, Inc.
Margaret I. Cuomo M.D., President
Italian Welfare League
Ivana Giuntoli-McCotter, President
Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans
Ron Onesti, President
Justinian Society of Lawyers
Bruno Marasso, President
La Festa Italiana di Lackawanna County
Christopher DiMattio, President
Lt. Det. Joseph Petrosino Association in America, Robert Fonti, President
National Columbus Education Foundation, John Viola, Executive Director
National Council of Columbia Associations
Pietro Segalini, Senior Vice President
National Council for Promotion of Italian Language in American Schools. Inc.
Dr. Daniel L. Stabile, National President
NJ Italian Heritage Commission
Robert DiBiase, Chair
OSDIA- Grand Lodge of Ohio
David Corsi, President
Ohio ISDA Community Foundation, Inc.
Maria Frank, Delegate
PRIMO Magazine
Truby Chiaviello, Publisher
The Italian Cultural Foundation at Casa Belvedere, Gina Biancardi, President
Tuscan Association of New York, Inc.
Joan Marchi Migliori, President
UN1CO Foundation
Christopher DiMattio, Chair
Italian Heritage and Culture Committee of The Bronx and Westchester
Patricia Santangelo, President
1296 Midland Avenue • Yonkers • NY • 10704 • copomiao.org
www.facebook.com/Conference-of-Presidents-of-Major-Italian-AmericanOrganizations-791684017883600/