Kudos to NIAF, and the supporters they assembled who secured a UNANIMOUS 
City Council Reversal of a  previous decision to substitute a Cesar Chavez 
Day for Columbus Day. 
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    ITALIAN AMERICANS SAVE COLUMBUS DAY IN LOS ANGELES

        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. 

The NIAF is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, DC dedicated to
preserving the heritage of an estimated 25 million Americans of Italian
descent. Visit our website at: www.niaf.org <www.niaf.org>  
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE       
elissa@niaf.org
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Elissa Ruffino
Director, Public Relations
1860 19th St NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 939-3106(direct) or 202/387-0600 (main #)
(202) 387 - 0833 (fax)
mailto:elissa@niaf.org <mailto:elissa@niaf.org> 
To help the children of fallen rescue workers, visit: niaf.org/relief

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