[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 12] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages 17405-17406] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]HONORING ANTHONY RICCIO FOR HIS OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY ______ HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO of connecticut in the house of representatives Wednesday, July 30, 2008 Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, today, as the Societa' Santa Maria Maddalena marks its 110th Anniversary, New Haven's Italian- American community also gathers to honor one of its most outstanding citizens, celebrated author and community leader, Anthony Riccio. It is my privilege to rise today to join them in recognizing Anthony for his many outstanding contributions to our community. Since I was a child, Societa' Santa Maria Maddalena--and all of the Italian societies--have been a part of my life. People across the country struggle to create a sense of community, a sense of belonging. The Italian societies have played an important role in forging strong bonds in our community and have been charged with both preserving and celebrating our rich heritage and strong traditions. Perhaps most important was the support that they provided to families and those newly immigrating to America. Society members helped them to find employment and housing, educate themselves and their children, to become productive and active members of the community, giving them a voice and the opportunity to realize the American Dream. It has been through that sense of community--that extended family--that Italian- Americans have flourished and generation after generation share a special pride in their Italian roots. Each year, the Societa' Santa Maria Maddalena honors an individual whose contributions to the community have furthered this mission. Anthony Riccio has most certainly done much to capture and record the history of the Italian-American experience, particularly in New Haven. His passion for culture and tradition began as a child. As so many of us did, Anthony would spend many hours with his grandmother and she would often receive letters from her family still in Italy. Anthony vividly recounts his memories of their walks through the neighborhood to find someone who could translate them. His enthusiasm and desire to understand Italian culture and history only grew as he got older. As an undergraduate Anthony was given an opportunity that would later provide inspiration for his work as an author. Anthony spent two summers studying art history in Italy and traveled to southern Italy to find his family. As he traveled to the village of his ancestors, he marveled at the similarities between the villages and towns of Italy and that of his own hometown neighborhood. After studying in Italy for several years, Anthony returned to the United States and began working with senior citizens in Boston's North End, many of whom were immigrants from Italy. His passion for Italian history only strengthened as he spent [[Page 17406]] more time with them and he began to record their conversations to be sure that the stories were captured accurately. Anthony's first book, Boston's North End: Images and Recollections of an Italian American Neighborhood, was a compilation of those stories and its success led to his second book, The Italian American Experience in New Haven. Collections of photographs and oral histories, each brings a unique perspective of the Italian American experience in these two cities and his hometown of New Haven could not be more proud. Today, as he is recognized by the Societa' Santa Maria Maddalena, I am honored to join all of those who have gathered this evening in extending my sincere thanks and appreciation to Anthony Riccio for his many invaluable contributions to our community. I would also like to extend my best wishes to him, his wife Dorothy, and his daughter, Annalisa, on this very special occasion. ____________________