Fighting Stereotypes

The CSJ Perspective

By Robert M. Ferrito, President

I would like to begin this issue’s column with some good news. We have succeeded in preserving Columbus Day in Randolph, New Jersey! Many of you may have heard that the Randolph School District initially replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous People’s Day, and because of our collective opposition to it, they decided to remove all holiday names from the calendar. This is the kind of decision-making and leadership that we are dealing with!

As you can imagine, the removal of all holiday names experienced such a backlash that the school district decided to put all of the holiday names—including Columbus Day—back on their school calendar. This is thanks to our vocal members throughout New Jersey and New York as well as One Voice Coalition’s work to help organize opposition. A victory for all of us across the country. What a wonderful example of what Italian Americans can accomplish when we are united!

Speaking of united, you may have already read the article on page 2 of this summer issue about the joint lawsuit that we have filed as part of The Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations against Mayor Jim Kenney and the City of Philadelphia. This is a landmark motion for a couple reasons.

First, it shows that Italian Americans will not tolerate elected officials who make unilateral decisions without allowing the public to speak. After all, they are called public servants for a reason! They are here to serve the public, not insult ethnic groups like ours by removing our holiday simply at their own discretion.

Second, it shows that Italian Americans are finally coming together and standing united in firm support of Columbus Day. It is only through this that we can preserve our heritage and our holiday. For too long we have combatted this from a rather fractured front, but now—and with this lawsuit serving as a prime example— all major Italian-American organizations are operating as one. It makes me proud to represent the Commission for Social Justice and the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America, and I am determined to continue playing as active a role as possible.

Though we’ve experienced some victories and we’ve been successful in uniting, the attack on our heritage will inevitably continue. I vow that we at the CSJ will do everything in our power to preserve our heritage and our holiday, but I must appeal to every single one of you for your help. Your individual voice is absolutely necessary. Please follow us on our Facebook page—The Commission for Social Justice—so that you can see any alerts we post in which you can lend your individual support to strengthen our collective voice.

Sempre Avanti!

YES! I would like to help Save Columbus Day and Fight Italian-American Stereotypes.

Please accept my tax-deductible donation to support the Commission for Social Justice’s mission.

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