Rome wasn’t built in a day, either. New York’s “Italian American of the Year” has big aspirations to spotlight the powerful paesans who have been the nation’s backbone for generations: a Smithsonian museum dedicated to culture Italiano. “It’s not about the Sunday sauce,” Chris Vaccaro, founder of the Italian American Heritage Society of Long Island, told The Post.

“I have this really personal quest to make sure that we don’t take for granted the journey that they made here…I’m living their American dream — and their American dream is to not forget Italy.” Vaccaro, a 38-year-old dad of three who also teaches media at Hofstra University, strives to leverage success on Long Island for the broader goal of achieving nationwide recognition in DC.