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NIAF News Releases
ITALIAN AMERICANS SAVE COLUMBUS DAY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Elissa Ruffino (NIAF) 202/939-3106 or elissa@niaf.org
 (WASHINGTON, DC– APRIL 29, 2002), The Los Angeles City Council has voted unanimously (April 23) to reverse a temporary decision to substitute a Cesar Chavez Day for Columbus Day. The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) President Joseph R. Cerrell spearheaded the efforts to keep Columbus Day as a national holiday in October.
The NIAF organized Italian American groups including the Federated Italo- Americans of Southern California; Italian American Lawyers Association, L'Italo Americano (newspaper); Italy America Chamber of Commerce, West, and the Commission for Social Justice of the Order Sons of Italy to work together to influence the Los Angeles City Council to change its decision.
"Italian Americans do not oppose declaring Cesar Chavez's birthday a city holiday," said Cerrell. "But they vigorously oppose taking city holiday status away from Columbus Day," Cerrell added.
The Los Angeles City Council decided to give Los Angeles City workers time off for both Cesar Chavez Day and Columbus Day in return for working a full day on Christmas Eve.
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