The Italian Educational & Cultural Center (IECC) – Casa Colombo has undertaken a valuable project to profile a half dozen or so notable Italians / Italian-Americans who have made a significant contribution to Jersey City. Such an effort is long overdue. Young Italian people are in dire need of positive role models. 

Over the years, we have expressed our disgust and outrage over the media’s constant portrayal of Italians as criminals and Mafiosi. Frankly speaking, films, programs, performances, various works of “art(?)”, and printed material which stereotype Italians as violent, vicious murderers, and gangsters hurt the image of all Italians and cheapen the contributions that Italians have made to enhance their communities.