The Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations (COPOMIAO) unveiled its bold agenda for the coming year at its annual membership meeting in NYC in late July. President Basil M. Russo presented the delegates of the 58 member organizations with a detailed breakdown of three major initiatives. Developing a comprehensive campaign t...

In Syracuse, the Columbus monument still stands, inside Columbus circle there; yet Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh is moving on with his appeal after a stunning legal defeat, back in March, when Supreme Court Justice Gerard Neri blocked Walsh’s order to remove the navigator’s statue. The lawsuit to save the statue was raised by the Columbus Monument Corpo...

The Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations (COPOMIAO) is working closely with the New Jersey Italian Heritage Commission (NJIHC) on the national rollout of an equitable, diverse and inclusive curriculum model that uses heritage as a guide to better educate U.S. students in both public and private schools. It is titled: The...

Growing up in Northeastern Pennsylvania, an area with a vibrant Italian American community, Stephanie Longo first became intrigued by her heritage when she was five years old when her mother took her to Dino and Francesco’s restaurant in Clarks Summit, PA, which had a large map of Italy on their placemat.  While they were there, her mother, Ann Mar...

Ciao from Rome!  Dear friends, another month has passed, and I was so happy to meet again a lot of fantastic Italian American friends in the delegation of the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations, here in Rome. Too much time has passed! A special thanks to my friend Basil Russo, leader of the Conference. Please enjoy her...

It was a historic week in Rome and within Vatican City as a delegation of Italian American leaders met with government officials and Pope Francis to advance cultural and religious initiatives — and to set the stage for new economic opportunities — between the U.S. and Italy. The delegation, assembled by Judge Basil M. Russo — who leads The Conferen...

In an unprecedented move, Italian and Italian American governmental, business and advocacy leaders are coming together from May 10-14 to spur partnerships that deepen cultural activism and create economic growth. This historic summit was organized by Judge Basil M. Russo, who leads the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organization...

The journey to elevate the visibility and influence of Italian Americans in our society began for me in early 2021, after I was elected to lead the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations (COPOMIAO). Still mired in the pandemic at that time, it all felt like a darkening dream: toppled Columbus statues, renamed holidays, can...

A note from COPOMIAO President Basil M. Russo: Starting with International Women’s Day on March 8th, we’ll honor women of Italian descent to spotlight their contributions, from culture and industry to philanthropy and activism. The inaugural Donna Distinta (Distinguished Woman) Award goes to an outstanding leader and social innovator, Dr. Gilda Ror...