The California State Senate Bill (SB1490) to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day has been withdrawn and Columbus Day remains a State holiday, at least for now. Italian American organizations and individuals raised their voices and took a stand to oppose the Bill, while Italian American State Senators represented the voices of the people.
We will need to stay organized and alert to defend our desire to keep a State holiday for Italian Americans. Having a state holiday is important because it is the day we celebrate our contributions, our heritage and our history. The day we get to tell our story.
“Columbus Day is a national symbol of Italian American identity, unity and pride. It is also a national American Holiday celebrating the American spirit. Let’s keep the Italian American spirit alive by keeping our Italian American holiday alive,” wrote William Cerruti, Chairman of the California Italian American Task Force.
