On Saturday, April 13th, the National Organization of Italian American Women (NOIAW), the organization that has brought together Italian American professionals for 44 years, celebrated its annual luncheon awards in New York City.
In an elegant room at the St. Regis Hotel in Manhattan, two women were honored for their success in their work: Jodi Pulice, entrepreneur-founder-manager of JRT Realty Group, was awarded the prestigious “Distinguished Woman of the Year”.
Important recognition also went to Ornella Fado, a long-time New York-based Italian producer and TV host, well known to the public for her program “Brindiamo!”, which promotes Italian excellence in the United States, particularly in the culinary arts and food production.
Diana Femia gave the opening remarks, as recently elected Chair of the National Organization of Italian American Women. She has been serving as President of the Greater Washington DC Region of NOIAW for several years and has been a member of the organization since the early 1980’s. The Mistress of Ceremonies was Angelina Fiordellisi, former executive director of Cherry Lane Theatre and 2022 NOIAW honoree.
In addition to the message from the Ambassador of Italy in Washington, Mariangela Zappia, representing Italian institutions during the event, Vice Consul Marta Mammana also gave a speech.
Celebrating Jodi Pulice, of Staten Island, her entire family was in the room, including her Sicilian-born mother, who will turn 100 this year. “She still has her driver’s license,” Jodi joked as her mother, with her grandchildren by er side, smiledin amusement, “and if anyone needs a ride after the event, she is always available to give you an unforgettable experience.”
Introducing the real estate entrepreneur was her friend Adriana Trigiani, a writer and filmmaker, who gave an entertaining and much applauded speech (although the highly political tone raised some eyebrows ), recalled one of the founders of NOIAW: Geraldine Ferraro. “Let’s remember that 44 years ago Geraldine Ferraro pushed for the birth of this organization,” Trigiani said; “the same Geraldine who, four years later would be the first woman to be a candidate on a major party ticket for the vice-presidency of the United States. But is it that we Italian American women don’t take to the streets with signs that say ‘Geraldine Ferraro’? Politics has never been more important,” Trigiani recalled, urging people to go out and vote.
Then, turning to those Italian Americans who support Donald Trump (without ever naming the former president, but referring to him as New York’s “male real estate operator and builder”), accused them of forgetting “that before World War II, new Italian immigrants were considered criminals in this country; does that remind you of anything?…” Trigiani then praised how her friend Jodi Pulice, and mentioned how she deserves the award for being able to create a real estate company proud “to work for the integration of all minorities, which has always helped newly immigrant women with little experience to become real estate professionals.”
When Ornella Fado’s award was presented by Betty Santangelo, Esq., of the NOIAW national board, it was mentioned how in addition to her successful TV shows, she is the co-founder and director of the magazine “Genialitaly” and also a member of COMITES, the representative body for Italians abroad for Italian institutions. And then there came a “surprise.” Fado, in recounting how she came to America and the stages that made her a successful TV producer (giving all the credit to her mother for passing on to her the courage to never give up and to her daughter Carolina for inspiring her programs), revealed a new project of hers with a character who is famous in Italy, and who has also proved to be very popular among the Italian-American women in the audience: Topo Gigio! In a video, the talking and dancing mouse of Italian TV addressed the room to celebrate NOIAW and all Italian American women. Topo Gigio confirmed that he will soon be working on a show with Ornella Fado to be set in New York City.
During the NOIAW gala luncheon, scholarships for 2024 were also presented to five Italian American women students, three of whom were present in the hall: Tullia Santo (Fashion Institute of Technology), Julie Hornberger (Queens College, CUNY), Gianna Di Giorgio (Baldwin Wallace University) Deanna Aquino (Touro University), and Laura Schroeder (Sacred Heart University).
