In honor of Italian Heritage Month, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, fourth from left, last Thursday celebrated the contributions of Italian Americans. The event at the Helen Marshall Cultural Center honored George Russo, right, a longtime Queens attorney and small business owner, as well as a member of Community Board 10 and member of the Queens Library Board of Trustees.

Russo commended Richards for “acknowledging the significant contributions Americans of Italian descent have made to our City and diverse county,” and said, “As a proud Italian American, I’m honored to be here to recognize our many achievements to the cultural, social, and economic fabric of our communities that make up this amazing borough.”