Council Member Joann Ariola at the Italian Heritage Celebration in October 2024.
Photo courtesy of the District Office of Council Member Joann Ariola
Council Member Joann Ariola has been appointed co-chair of the New York City Council’s Italian Caucus, according to a joint press release on Monday, March 25, with Council Member Frank Morano of Staten Island.
The Italian Caucus is a coalition of elected officials focused on representing and promoting Italian-American culture through engaging initiatives. The Caucus speaks on behalf of millions of Italian-descended New Yorkers and for the traditions, language and cultural facilities that have influenced the city’s foundations.
Within the last four years of its establishment, the Italian Caucus has been renewed each year. Following her appointment this year, Ariola pledged to preserve the historical significance of her heritage throughout New York City. Yesterday, Ariola and Morano commemorated the Feast of St. Joseph at City Hall — a Catholic feast day celebrated every year on March 19 — with their colleagues. The feast included a St. Joseph’s Day Table, filled with an assortment of pastries, breads and pasta. Popular festive treats like zeppole were also prominently featured.
Council Member Frank Morano (left) and Council Member Joann Ariola (right) during the Italian Caucus St. Joseph’s Day Feast. Photo courtesy of the District Office of Council Member Joann Ariola
“Italian Americans have played a vital role in our city’s and in our country’s history, and I am honored to serve as co-chair of this caucus to ensure that the Italian-American story remains a vibrant part of 21st-century New York,” Council Member Joann Ariola said in a press release. “I have always been immensely proud of my family’s Italian roots, and from a young age, I have been keenly aware of the trials, tribulations and triumphs Italians faced when coming to the New World. That is exactly why I introduced legislation to formally recognize the Innocent 11 who were murdered by an anti-Italian mob in New Orleans, so more New Yorkers understand the challenges and discrimination Italian-Americans once faced. Through the caucus, we will continue working to celebrate Italian culture, preserve our traditions and ensure that future generations appreciate the lasting contributions of Italian-Americans to our city and the struggles our ancestors faced as they planted roots here in the United States.”
When asked about the aspect of community building, Ariola described the feast as an occasion when the NYC Council gathered for an afternoon of connection, regardless of varying viewpoints.
“We don’t often have a time in the Council where every member can put aside their enrollment, their ideology and really just share a good moment over food,” Ariola said. “It makes for a very different feel with your colleagues, because often times we’re always either promoting a bill or not voting for a bill or promoting an issue or not agreeing on an issue.”
She added that Italian food products have universal appeal, bringing people together to savor the meals.
Ariola further shared with QNS that her and Morano will have a conversation with Julie Menin, the Speaker of the NYC Council, to fund the Italian Caucus, further introducing Italian culture into schools and communities — in addition to partnering with various Italian organizations in New York City to uplift the Italian American community and celebrate their historical accomplishments as immigrants who helped build the city.
With Morano, Ariola shared that their priorities will emphasize education about Italian culture (e.g., The Feast of St. Joseph’s, The Feast of the Seven Fishes), including teachings of Sunday gatherings as vital traditions. Ariola also expressed her aim to preserve the Italian language for future generations to cherish, noting its decline within families.
Photo courtesy of the District Office of Council Member Joann Ariola
“So that’s why we feel it’s important for the next generation of Americans of Italian descent to have an opportunity to learn about the culture and also learn the language,” Ariola said. She continued that it is a shared vision that she and Morano have — a caucus that is not only active at City Hall, but “throughout the city of New York” as well.
As part of her appointment, Ariola also has a pending resolution to officiate March 14 as “Innocent 11 Day” — a somber reminder of the mass lynching of 11 Italian immigrants in New Orleans in 1891. The victims were said to be brutalized by an angry mob despite some who were wrongly accused of murdering Police Chief David Hennessy.
The Council Member hopes that greater awareness of this infamous moment will usher in more empathy for the struggles of Italian Americans upon their arrival and ease the negativity surrounding Columbus Day.
“When Italians came here, they brought such craftsmanship with them, whether it was [construction] or their cuisine,” shared Ariola. “They came here to make a better life for their families, and they did that.”
As a grandson of Italian immigrants, Morano has strong personal ties to the caucus’s mission. The District 51 Council Member confirmed in a press release that the caucus will ensure the historical contributions of Italian Americans remain an essential component of the city’s civic life.
“Italian-Americans helped build New York City—from our neighborhoods and small businesses to our culture, cuisine and civic life,” Morano said in a statement. “Our caucus will work to make sure that heritage is not only honored but preserved for future generations. That includes celebrating the explorers, pioneers and community leaders who shaped our history, and proudly defending the traditions—like Columbus Day—that remain central to Italian-American identity.”
Ariola’s co-chair tenure will run through the end of her four-year term.
Dining and Cooking