For more than 900,000 students in New York City Public Schools, September 5th marked the first day of the academic calendar and a new season of exploration, discovery and deeper understanding. But September 5th also marks the 4th anniversary of shame, when Columbus Day, a state and federal legal holiday, was suppressed without warning from the public...

Dear Friends, We stand with Israel. We support its right to exist among its neighbors in peace. We can never tolerate hatred of one culture, ethnicity, race or religion, the hatred of our brothers and sisters of the Jewish faith. We are saddened by all the suffering and abhor the cycle of hate and terrorism...

Dear Friends, As we bring to a close October is Italian Heritage and Culture Month, I want to share with you this timely interview with New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, who was honored this year in the National Columbus Day Parade on Fifth Avenue. Comptroller Di Napoli epitomizes the best in our community as a...

Dear Friends, Brian Lehrer, a popular radio and podcast host on WNYC in New York City, presented a special segment on Columbus Day, 2023, featuring a decapitated Columbus statue and these words:  "The second Monday in October is now known in New York City as Italian Heritage Day/Indigenous Peoples' Day. Teachers call in to talk about...

I feel honored to be back here to pay tribute to a great Italian historical figure and to a source of pride of the Italian American Community. At a moment when even the Columbus Parade can no longer be called as such in order not to hurt or offend anybody, it is important to ask...