Episode Details

First on ITALICS, Dr. Aileen Riotto Sirey, Founder & Chair of The National Organization of Italian American Women talks with Dean Anthony J Tamburri about her 32 years in its leadership role as Founder and Chair. On May 5th, 2012 at a Gala Event, Dr. Sirey will retire from her position as chair. NOIAW was founded in 1980 in her living room with a small group of Italian American Women who sought to create a national network to support the educational and professional aspirations of its members and to combat ethnic stereotypes by promoting positive role models. Today, NOIAW is evolving into an International Organization bringing together women of Italian American ancestry Nationwide with women in Italy, Argentina, and Australia through International Events, Exchanges and Conferences.
Next ITALICS takes you to“The Honorable Geraldine A. Ferraro, The Italian American Woman Who Made History”, NOIAW’s 2012 Women History Month event, in collaboration with the Calandra Institute, dedicated to the memory and legacy of the late Congresswoman, Geraldine A. Ferraro. Held at Hunter College, CUNY, the event brought together the Honorable Natalia Quintavalle, Counsul General of Italy to New York, the Honorable Arthur Gajarsa, Circuit Judge on The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, Dr. Aileen Riotto Sirey, Chair and Founder of NOIAW, and John Zaccaro, Geraldine Ferraro’s husband, to discuss the legacy of the late Congresswoman and Vice-Presidential Candidate. Geraldine A. Ferraro died on March 26th, 2011, after a lengthy illness.
Then we go to NOIAW’s annual Epiphany Celebration 2012, also known as “Three Wise Women, Honoring Italian American Women”. Maria Mediago, Vice President, Facilities Management, The Valley Hospital and Roseann Bifulco McSorley, Head of Business Resiliency, JP Morgan Chase, were among those honored by NOIAW at the Epiphany Event. ITALICS Correspondent Lucia Grillo reports from the Columbus Citizens Foundation’s historic Townhouse.

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