New York Conference of Italian-American State Legislators
to honor prominent New Yorkers
The New York Conference of Italian-American State Legislators is proud to announce this years honorees at their annual celebration on June 9, 2014 from 11 AM 1 PM in the Well of the Legislative Office Building at 198 State St, Albany, NY 12210. The program will begin at 12:00 PM and an opportunity for media availability at 12:30 PM. The event is free and open to the public. This years honorees come from varied backgrounds, including politics, acting, and music, highlighting the diversity of the Italian-American community.
The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo is the 54 th Governor of the State of New York. Governor Cuomo was born in Queens, New York to parents of Italian descent. His paternal grandparents were from Nocera Superiore and Tramonti in Southern Italy, and his maternal grandparents were from Sicily. In 1993, he was appointed to the Department of Housing and Urban Development as the Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development as a member of President Bill Clintons administration. He was elected Attorney General of the State of New York in November 2006, and in November 2010 he was elected Governor in a landslide victory.
Tony Danza is an actor, writer, teacher, and philanthropist. Mr. Danza was born in Brooklyn, New York; his father, whose family was from Naples, was a sanitation worker, and his mother, an immigrant from the Sicilian province of Trapani, worked as a bookkeeper. After graduating from Malverne High School in Malverne, NY, Mr. Danza received a Bachelors Degree in History Education from the University of Dubuque. As an actor, Mr. Danza is best known for starring in such beloved sitcoms as Whos the Boss and Taxi, as well as numerous film and stage roles. He is active in many philanthropic endeavors, including the New York City All Stars Project, Voices Against Brain Cancer, Only Make Believe, and the New York City Police Athletic League, whose board he recently joined. He has been honored by many organizations for his efforts, including the AARP.
Liberty DeVitto is a Hall of Fame drummer, and lifelong New Yorker. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Mr. DeVittos grandparents immigrated to the U.S. from Naples and Sicily. Mr. DeVitto graduated from Seaford High School in 1968. In the early 1970s, his band Topper became the band for Billy Joel, and was responsible for such legendary songs as Scenes from an Italian Restaurant and New York State of Mind. After playing with Billy Joel for 30 years, Mr. DeVitto is now performing with his Brooklyn based rock band The Slim Kings and remains a band member for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. He is also an honorary board member of Little Kids Rock, a non-profit organization dedicated to putting instruments and music programs in underfunded schools worldwide.
The Legislators being honored this year are State Senator George Latimer of Westchester County, and Assemblyman Andrew Raia of Suffolk County.
The New York Conference of Italian-American State Legislators is a bipartisan conference of State Senators and Assemblymembers of Italian descent. The organizations mission is to preserve and promote Italian culture, and highlight the contributions of Italian- Americans to the State of New York. In addition, each year the conference presents four high school seniors with $2000 educational scholarships.