A Brooklyn family was honored for the Foundation’s immigration work | Tech Reddy

BATTERY PARK CITY — In celebration of immigrants and their contributions to the fabric of American society, an immigration think tank honored a group of advocates.

One of the honorees was a nonprofit founded by a Brooklyn family whose ancestors came to the United States from Italy.

The Viola Foundation received the Immigration Achievement Award at the Manhattan-based Center for Migration Studies’ annual gala on Wednesday, Nov. 9, at Battery View in Battery Park.

John Viola, who runs the foundation, accepted the award for the family. He also serves on numerous charities and is the host of The Italian American Podcast.

“I’m the grandson of immigrants,” he told the audience. “So as a professional Italian American, I spend a lot of time talking about immigration.”

Viola recounted the struggles of her Italian ancestors and their contemporaries as they resisted violent attacks, changing immigration laws and the quota system.

“But somewhere along the line we accepted,” Viola said. “We’ve been given that respect.”

Still, he expressed concern about some people who believe that once they achieve fame, they can “close the golden door.”

“That dignity has to be there from the time you leave the place you come from to the time you get here,” Viola said. “No matter what the situation, you have to respect every person who believed in the American dream and risked it all.”

CMS, founded in 1964 by the St. Charles (Scalabrinese) Missionary Congregation, is a think tank that studies international migration and advocates for public policies that protect the rights and dignity of migrants.

CMS Board of Trustees Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio assisted in presenting the awards. He described the Viola Foundation as the creation of Vincent Viola, his wife Teresa, and their three sons.

“The values ​​that immigrants bring to our society are so important,” Bishop DiMarzio said. “We are delighted to be able to present this award to the Viola Family Foundation for their work.”

Bishop DiMarzio tells how Vincent Viola made his fortune and became chairman of the New York Stock Exchange. He was born in Williamsburg to Italian-American parents, and his father served in World War II.

A graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point, Vincent Viola also served in the US Army. He was a successful merchant and business owner.

“This is a family with very strong immigrant Catholic roots,” said CMS Executive Director Donald Kerwin. “They have been very supportive of Catholic education at many levels, including the Diocese of Brooklyn.

“They honored Avery Cardinal Dulles, chair of Catholic theology at Fordham University. They supported the institution of Catholic leadership.”

The foundation also established a counterterrorism center at West Point.

Bishop DiMarzio is a well-known scholar on migrant issues and an advocate for migrant welfare.

Earlier this year, he donated his personal archive to CMS, which he plans to call the “Bishop Nicholas A. DiMarzio Collection.”

Also at the CMS gala, Jamie Winders, professor of geography and director of the Autonomous Systems Policy Institute at Syracuse University, and Marla Asis, director of the Scalabrini Migration Center of the Philippines, also received Outstanding Scholarships in International Migration.

Hiroko Kusuda, professor and director of immigration law at Loyola University New Orleans, was honored with the CMS Humanitarian Service Award.