Transcript: Mayor Adams Hosts Reception Celebrating Italian Heritage

October 16, 2024

Deputy Commissioner Anthony Iuliano, Operations, Community Affairs Unit: I want to make the introduction of a great mayor who has listened tothe Italian-American community here in the City of New York, 110th mayor, Mayor Eric Adams.

Mayor Adams: Thank you, thank you so much. You know, I constantly remind everyone that the saddest day of my life is when my mother told me, Eric, you're not Sicilian, you know, you're not Sicilian. But as we look out, and I want to thank the electeds who are here, from Councilman Borelli and his common-sense approach to government and how he brings that good family values… to the honorary Italian Jenifer Rajkumar, assemblywomen who just honor all of us. Councilman Carr, who's here as well.

And just all of you, you know, even on this chilly day, you bring a level of warmth to this entire Gracie Mansion. You grace us with your presence. And as I march this week and celebrate the Italian heritage on Fifth Avenue, all along the route, I heard the same thing. Eric, you hang in there. You fight for the city. You stand up for the city. Never give up for the city. And also, always stand tall for the city. And that is your heritage. That's what you stand for.

Right now, many of us enjoy the deep success of who we are. But I always tell people when we do these heritage celebration, take a moment and reflect on your lineage. Think about your grandparents or great-grandparents or maybe even your moms or dad and what they went through and how challenging it was. And how hard just to succeed and the struggles you endured as a group and population that only wanted to pursue the American Dream and what were the obstacles you had to overcome.

Not one time did your parents or grandparents think of surrendering. Not one time did they say they could not make it in this amazing city and amazing country. You personified the resiliency of what's great about this city from building our trains to the Verrazano Bridge, to the food, to the culture, your style, your rhythm. And you believe in family. You believe in faith. You believe in business. And you believe in commitment. And you believe in public safety, as the men and women of the law enforcement community who are here, part of the Columbia Society.

So I thank you for what you do, how you fortify our city. And we wanted to spend this day of honoring not only this culture, but honoring what you have brought to this great city called New York. This is the greatest city on the globe. And the largest Italian population in America is right here. We are the Rome of America with our population that's here. So I thank you. I continue to celebrate. I had an amazing time marching on Fifth Avenue with you. Let's continue to show what we're made of. And the best way to do that is to have a subway series with the Yankees and the Mets. Thank you very much. Let's bring on our honorees.

Deputy Commissioner Iuliano: Okay, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention this, Mr. Mayor. I have to do this before the honorees. The mayor of the City of New York, back on August 26, met with Italian-Americans, 35 prominent Italian-Americans. And he had an Italian-American roundtable. And the attendees that day, when they left, Mr. Mayor, were so impressed. It was the first time they could recall in so many years that the mayor of the City of New York met with the Italian-American community, listened to the concerns, and will try to address those issues. And they are, to this day, giving compliments for that. And they always say, fight, continue to fight. And we appreciate that.

So on that note, let's introduce the first honoree, who spent 62 years at St. John's University, Mr. Joseph Sciame, who's also president of the Order of the Sons of Italy, who has so many recognitions with so many Italian-American organizations and the Italian-American Culture Committee, to keep the Italian-American Culture Movement here in the United States and globally. So Mr. Joe Sciame, welcome. Thank you. I really appreciate your work. Thank you.

Joseph Sciame: What can I say? I'm very humbled by this. I did what I did for students over the years. many of them who grew up and have incredible jobs. But today, I'm really proud because my grandfather on 78th Street and 2nd Avenue had the International Barbershop. And grandpa came to America in 1905 and lived to the ripe age of 73, worked right till the end, and they were real New Yorkers. Grandma and he would process up to the church here on 116th Street. He would be barefoot because they lost their first child coming to America on the ship. So I'm a real New Yorker, I'm proud, proud Italian, proud Sicilian, and proud to be with you. Thank you.

Deputy Commissioner Iuliano: Our second honoree this evening is a, actually, it's a publication, a journal. Giornale Italo-Americano. It's a bilingual journal that's published here in New York City. The founder, Mr. James Lisa, an editor for the last 20 years. Bilingual, where it gives the opportunity for Italian-Americans to immerse more in the Italian language. And it's used in educational institutions as another way of learning and keeping the Italian language alive here in the City of New York by the Italian-Americans. Welcome, Mr. James Lisa, head of GIA.

James Lisa, Publisher, Giornale Italo-Americano: Mr. Mayor, I want to say thank you because this is an honor for the newspaper. It started out as a labor of love, and it has grown into an international newspaper. It travels all over, and I get calls from the, I'll say seniors, who still want a hard copy, and they want to read a newspaper. I know the young people like to go online, and it's there also. But the seniors still want to read it. The newspaper is bilingual, and it caters to the young as well as the old. And it gives them the opportunity to learn the language, read the article. If you're Italian, you can understand English. English, you can understand Italian. And it's something that's grown. And actually, we're the only one out there in print. So get a copy of it. And on the front page, it says, remember Columbus every day. And America is a beautiful Italian name. And remember that. Thank you.

Deputy Commissioner Iuliano: And the third honoree we marvel at, Mr. Rodolfo Sarchesse, who is, and I'm going to do this, Rodolfo, I apologize in advance, but he's 88 years of age, who is still active, running a civic community out in the Astoria section of Queens County. Has been running that organization for 28 years to maintain the quality of life, which is dear to the heart of the mayor of the City of New York. Anything we do with quality of life and improve the quality of life in the New Yorkers. And Mr. Sarchesse has been civically active for 60 years in this community. And a shining example, welcome Mr. Rodolfo Sarchesse.

Rodolfo Sarchesse: I'm honored tonight to receive this recognition from the mayor of New York, Eric Adams, which will be the great City of New York City. We have a thing, what does it do for the city? We are proud as today. Me, as an immigrant, at the ages of 22, came to America to work hard in order to accomplish a great thing for my family, for my three kids, Antonia, Maria, and Nicholas. And my eight grandchildren, which I am proud to have. Thank you to my family. I have to thank you to this country, to work hard for so many years in order to have the American Dream, which I did accomplish there. And I'm proud, I'm proud of this big City of New York. Always fighting for better community. And as of today, I do work every day in order to keep the community alive, to have a good life in the place where we live, and to raise our children. So I thank the mayor to give me this opportunity to be honored. Thank you, mayor.

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