Over a hundred people recently joined together for a celebration of Italian heritage, with the theme of “Italian Americans and the Law,” at the Richmond County Courthouse, St. George. “Honoring our Italian culture does not diminish our love of America, the country that has given us all the ability to implement the fortitude and resilience instilled in us to succeed. It is the beauty of America,” said Staten Island Supreme Court Judge Judith N. McMahon.

The event was organized by the Equal Justice in the Courts Initiative Task Force for the Staten Island Supreme Court, which aims to provide court system personnel an opportunity to appreciate the distinctiveness of the variety of heritages represented across the borough today. Attorney Nadine Johnson heads the task force, along with two co-chairs -- Irini Bekhit, an attorney and Alternative Dispute Resolution coordinator, and Kenneth Fay, chief clerk for civil and criminal matters for Richmond County Supreme Court.