2017 Marconi Award Honoree: Hon. Maria Lorts Sachs

GuGlIelmO marcOnI award - 2017 hOnOree Hon. Maria Lorts Sachs

flOrIda State SenatOr (2010 - 2016)

Maria’s Italian heritage is rooted in World War II. Her father, born on a dairy farm in Michigan, was a commissioned officer in the United States Army Infantry in the war. After combat in North Africa, his troop continued northward to Salerno for the march to Rome and the liberation of Italy. It was in old Napoli that he met, fell in love, and married a young Neapolitan woman named Annarosaria. Following the end of the war, he returned home to Michigan, and Annarosaria followed soon after as a war bride. Together, they had four children and were married for 60 years.

Having worked hard to become an American citizen, Annarosaria instilled a strong sense of American patriotism in her daughter. Maria’s first civic activism began at a Catholic school in Los Angeles, Bishop Amat Memorial High School, where she was elected as Student Body Vice President. She would have run for President of the Student Body, but at the time, the position was not yet possible for female candidates.

Maria graduated from the University of Maryland, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree with honors in Political Science. Maria went on to earn a Master’s Degree in International Political Relations from Boston University and later lectured in Political Ideology at various military bases throughout Europe on behalf of the University of Maryland. Maria volunteered to teach at the John F. Kennedy School in Naples, Italy, while attending classes at the University of Maryland. After a period of nearly seven years abroad, Maria returned to the U.S. and earned her law degree from the University of Miami. She began her law career under Janet Reno’s direction and moved to Palm Beach County to continue practice law until she held public office.

In 2006, Maria was elected to the Florida House of Representatives and served two terms until she was elected to the Florida Senate in 2010. In her early years in office, Senator Sachs was chosen by her peers to become minority leader pro-tempore. With a focus on promoting the richness of the Italian culture and history in Florida, Sen. Sachs became the President of the Italian Caucus in Tallahassee. It was during this period that Maria met Ed Mottola, President of the Sons of Italy, Boca Raton. He proposed that a law be passed which would ordain that the language and culture of Italy be taught in our public schools. His idea, along with the signatures of hundreds of members of the Sons of Italy organizations, passed the Florida House, the Florida Senate, and was signed into law by the Florida Governor in 2008. Today, there are entire counties, such as Miami-Dade and Broward Counties, where the Italian language and culture are part of the school’s curriculum.

On May 1, 2014, the Florida Senate adopted Senate Resolution 720. Promoted by the Grand Lodge of Florida, Order of the Sons of Italy in America, this resolution recognizes October 2014 and each October thereafter as Italian and Italian Heritage Month. It is meant to honor the 1.7 million Florida citizens of Italian heritage and has made possible ceremonies, tributes, and educational opportunities throughout the State in honor of our beautiful Italian heritage.

In 2016, after a decade in public service, Maria became the founder and Executive Director of the Coalition Against Human Trafficking.

Maria and her husband, Peter, currently live in Palm Beach County, Florida. They have three children (Natasha, Marcello, and Taylor). Maria is proud to support the work of the Sons of Italy, as together they promote the Italian language and culture throughout the State of Florida.