It All Began with a Question

In 1980, Dr. Aileen Riotto Sirey was searching for an organization dedicated to Italian-American women. The more she searched, none were found. Then, while at a lecture given by the groundbreaking Geraldine Ferraro, Aileen introduced herself afterwards and asked Gerry “Do you know of any organizations for Italian-American women?” Gerry replied, “No, why don’t you start one!” And, that was the beginning of the National Organization of Italian American Women (NOIAW), including a wonderful partnership and friendship.

The word got around quickly, and many women immediately became part of this new organization with founding members that included Geraldine Ferraro, Matilda Raffa Cuomo, Donna de Matteo, Constance Mandina and Roseanne Coletti. This distinguished group focused on two distinct missions…#1 support the educational and professional aspirations of its members, and #2 combat ethnic stereotypes by promoting positive role models. NOIAW’s popularity and support gained momentum that even the New York Times featured an article titled “Italian American Women Link Up.”

Today the pipedream is a reality, and over the course of more than 4-decades, we continue to…

• Counter stereotypes of Italian American women by honoring successful professionals in every field
• Promote educational advancement through our Scholarships program
• Improve career skills through our Mentoring program
• Increase cultural awareness through our Cultural Exchange program
• Broaden Italian and Italian-American knowledge and interests through our monthly Activities & Events

NOIAW remains committed to its mission and the preservation of our Italian-American heritage, accomplishments, advancements and future. Please take a moment to meet our National Board of Directors—the guiding force behind NOIAW.