I grew up in an Italian American family that not only placed an emphasis on the virtues and contributions of our culture, but also the value of female bonds. Always anxious to strengthen my identity as an Italian American woman, I joined NOIAW.

As a filmmaker and producer, I have always been disappointed in the lack of authentic representation of Italian American women on screen. When a friend of mine was crowdfunding her NYU thesis film about her experience growing up as an Italian American woman, I suggested she reach out to NOIAW members on LinkedIn. In just a few hours, a number of NOIAW members donated and my friend got the greenlight for her film. This is a perfect example of the NOIAW community supporting one another and why NOIAW is an organization worth joining.