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Founded 37 years ago by Dr. Pasquale Nestico, Filitalia International has grown rapidly to become one of the largest and most influential Italian American organizations, boasting 28 chapters across the United States, Italy, Venezuela and Cuba. This impressive growth and success were celebrated this past weekend at its gala in Philadelphia.  COPOMIA...

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"L'Italia!" is an original song composed by Dame, Dr. Mary Rorro to celebrate the cultural treasure Italy is to the world. She wrote the melody and lyrics and the arrangement was composed by now 99-year-old World War II Veteran Maestro Matteo Giammario, who is also Italian American, and Dr. Rorro's former Greater Princeton Youth Orchestra conductor...

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The story of why in 1892 America began to celebrate Columbus Day, which subsequently led to the creation of more than 100 Columbus statues throughout our country, is a tragic example of the mistreatment of immigrants that needs to be told. After years of relative dormancy, the legacy of Christopher Columbus is once again making headlines in Ohio’s...

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Basil Russo, a local and national Italian American standard-bearer, proudly announced that City Council President Blaine A. Griffin will serve as Grand Marshal in the annual Cleveland Columbus Day Parade. The parade will step off at noon on Monday, October 14, on Mayfield Road in Little Italy. “Councilman Griffin led the city’s Community Relations...

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In September, Angelo Cassaro, president of the Italian American Club of Southern Nevada, presented Basil Russo with a Lifetime Honoring Membership for his efforts to promote national unity among Italian Americans. Russo, president of ISDA and COPOMIAO, encouraged club members to preserve and celebrate their heritage by passing it on to younger gene...

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New Jersey Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., a 14-term incumbent and a fixture in his hometown of Paterson for more than 40 years, passed away Wednesday at the age of 87. "Bill, a devoted grandfather, father and husband, embodied the kind of collaborative leadership that is sorely missing in Washington today," said COPOMIAO President Basil Russo. "His elevat...

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Little Italy Future Leaders (LIFL), a younger generations’ culture and networking club — formed through Italian Sons and Daughters of America — is thrilled to announce the success of its Inaugural history shuffle, “A Glass From the Past,” held on July 20. The event, hosted in conjunction with the Italian American Museum of Cleveland (IAMCLE), aimed...

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Two bills that were advancing through the Massachusetts House and Senate, seeking to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day, are now all but dead-on-arrival thanks to a viral petition spearheaded by affiliates of the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations (COPOMIAO).  COPOMIAO President Basil M. Russo, along wit...

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A young woman on a scooter lobbed a verbal hand grenade at a tour group on a hot summer night in Cleveland’s Little Italy two weeks ago. “This neighborhood is gentrified!” she yelled as she zoomed past 65 people on Random Road who were enjoying a two-hour “Take a Hike" walking tour of local history and culture. It wasn’t clear why the woman used th...

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Our nation’s first Italian American First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden, spoke at ISDA’s annual banquet in downtown Pittsburgh on July 13, 2024, to share her ancestors’ story. The event was part of ISDA’s ongoing mission to celebrate women in leadership while offering a platform to major figures on both sides of the aisle who seek to promote and honor the I...

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