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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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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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For 115 years, the Italian enclave of Raritan, N.J., would process the statue of Saint Rocco through the streets to kick off an Italian summer Festa filled with food, fraternity, and festivity. That is, until the COVID-19 pandemic sent the historic celebration grinding to a halt in 2020. As each year passed without a feast, the return of the belove...

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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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Each year, ISDA gives over $150k in academic scholarships to college students. Our financial awards are offered through the national organization, all of its districts and certain local lodges. They are available in varying amounts for a total of four years. Download an ISDA scholarship application. To view the complete rules for qualifications, cl...

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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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On April 19, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania ruled 7 to 0 to reinstate a lawsuit to prevent the removal of Pittsburgh’s Christopher Columbus statue from Schenley Park. The suit was filed by the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA), the largest Italian American fraternal association in Pennsylvania, founded in Pittsburgh in 1930. The...

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The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court on Friday overturned the dismissal of a lawsuit that was filed to block the planned removal of Pittsburgh’s Columbus statue, writing in a 24-page opinion that a lower court “erred” in its dismissal of the case in 2022. Philadelphia litigator George Bochetto filed the lawsuit, and subsequent appeal, on behalf of t...

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ISDA National President Basil Russo and VP John Viola were presented with the inaugural “Reputation Award” at the Italian Cultural Institute of NYC (Istituto Italiano di Cultura di New York) by Davide Ippolito, a celebrated publisher, filmmaker and producer. At the ceremony, Russo and Viola were honored for creating the Italian American Future Lead...

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AGBO and the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA) are pleased to announce the 2024 grant recipients for the Russo Brothers Italian American Filmmaker Forum (RBIAFF). Five filmmaking teams were each awarded a $10,000 production grant to make a short film based on a submitted concept that depicts and explores aspects of the Italian American e...

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