The Cleveland Italian American Heritage Committee is pleased to announce the following who will be honored for their outstanding service and achievements at the Opening Ceremony for Cleveland Italian American Heritage Month at the Cleveland City Hall Rotunda on Monday, October 5, 2026, starting at 6:00p.m.  The ceremony is free and open to the public.

Anthony Taddeo, Arts
Anthony Taddeo is a Cleveland-based percussionist, composer, and bandleader whose work builds a living bridge to the folk traditions of Italy. The son of an Italian immigrant, Anthony grew up with deep pride in his heritage, a connection that took on new purpose when he discovered Alan Lomax’s 1954 field recordings from Italy. That discovery led him to found Alla Boara, a folk sextet dedicated to bringing Italy’s lesser-known musical traditions to new audiences, and the group has earned critical acclaim from publications such as Songlines (UK), All About Jazz, SWR2 (Germany), and Cleveland Magazine.
In 2025 Anthony founded Work and Song Productions, a nonprofit that uses this music to preserve Italian folk traditions and foster community connection through workshops, education, and performance. Under his direction as Executive Director, the organization brings these folk traditions into schools and community spaces, using cultural heritage as a bridge to shared human experience.
Alongside this work, Anthony performs regularly with the GRAMMY-winning Apollo’s Fire, studied with percussionists Jamey Haddad, Jimmy Cobb, and Kendrick Scott, and has toured North America and Europe with over 40 album credits to his name.  He lives in the Collinwood area with his wife, two daughters, and son.

Frank Barresi, Sr., Business
Frank Barresi’s life and career are a testament to hard work, dedication, family, and a deep commitment to the community he calls home.
Frank has devoted 59 years to Martins Menswear, beginning his journey in men’s fashion on East 185th Street. For the past 40 years, he has proudly served as the owner of Martins Menswear, building a respected Cleveland business known for quality, personal service, and a commitment to helping generations of men look and feel their best.
Raised in Cleveland’s historic Little Italy neighborhood, Frank later moved to Euclid, Ohio, where he continued to build his career and raise his family. His Italian-American heritage has remained an important part of his life, shaping the values of family, perseverance, pride, and service that have guided him throughout his career.
Frank’s commitment extends well beyond his business. For 20 years, he served on the board of the Northeast Shores Development Corporation, working to strengthen and enhance the community. He has also spent the past 11 years outfitting the uniforms for Ginn Academy, continuing Martins Menswear’s tradition of supporting young people and the community. A special moment came when Ginn Academy presented a Martins Menswear jacket to former President Bill Clinton.
Frank was married to his beloved wife, Connie Barresi, for 52 years. Together, they raised two sons, Frank and Anthony, and are proud grandparents of three granddaughters.
Frank is honored to be recognized as an Italian American Heritage Month Honoree in the category of Business, celebrating a lifetime of entrepreneurship, family, and service to his community.

Alicia Louise Mazzi, Culture
Alicia Louise Mazzi is a proud Italian American whose life reflects a commitment to heritage, faith, professional excellence, and service. These are values taught by her parents, the late Dr. James and Anita Ricci Mazzi. She was raised in Youngstown, Ohio, and currently lives in Cleveland with her husband, Ronnie Ezzo. 
Alicia graduated from John Carroll University and earned her JD and a Certification of Compliance in Health Care from Case Western Reserve University School of Law. She serves St. Augustine Health Ministries as Director of Human Resources, Compliance, and Legal Counsel. 
Inspired by cherished time with her grandmothers and extended family, Alicia has carried Italian traditions and values throughout her life. A lifelong member of Italian Catholic parishes, she has a special devotion to St. Anthony and the Blessed Mother. At Our Lady of Mount Carmel West, she serves as Parish Council President and helps organize fundraisers and community events. 
Alicia also serves on the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Foundation Board, leads an annual toy drive for low-income, inner-city Catholic schools, and is Treasurer of the Villa Mercedes Board. While in law school, she helped found the Italian American Bar Association. 
A member of NOIA for more than 25 years, Alicia has chaired its Culture Committee and currently serves on its Board of Directors and as Secretary of the Executive Committee. Her leadership, compassion, and devotion to her Italian American heritage are part of who she is not just what she does.

Maria Costanzo, Emerging Leader
Maria’s Italian pride and her passion for Italian American culture began at an early age and are rooted in who she is; woven into her everyday life, through her faith, family, friendships, work in the community, and organizations she supports.  She was fortunate to grow up in a family in the Detroit Shoreway area of Cleveland that taught traditions that had been passed to them from the older generations.  She is an active member of the Italian Sons and Daughters of America Our Lady of Mount Carmel Lodge and Circolo Italo-Americano Corenese and is often the youngest person in the room at meetings and some events, as well as the Inizio Lodge for young adults.  
Maria attended the Italian American Future Leaders (IAFL) conference which further motivates her to become more involved in preserving Italian American culture.  She was asked to serve on the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish Council, a responsibility she accepted as she is deeply committed to the parish, its future, and the neighborhood her family emigrated to.  Through her photography, she is able to help promote the annual parish festival and church events on social media and preserve memories for the community, working as the unofficial publicist.  More recently, she has been named a Trustee in the OLMC ISDA Lodge and a local deputy on the ISDA District Council. 
Articles she has written and pictures he has taken have been published across the United States and internationally, as she often submits her work to La Nostra Voce (ISDA) and La Serra (Coreno, Italy/CIAC).  In August, she was recognized by the ‘Ndujart organization in Calabria, Italy for submitting photos to a contest they sponsored after her visit there.  The plaque reads, “In the spirit of a sense of belonging that defies distance, preserving an unbroken bond with the colors, flavors, and soul of Calabria.”  Her love for her heritage is authentic, her commitment is demonstrated through action, and her desire to help future generations is unmistakable.

Lisa Gasbarre Black, Esq., Individual
Lisa Gasbarre Black, Esq. has served as General Counsel of Catholic Charities Diocese of Cleveland since 2000. She provides legal counsel to the President/CEO of Catholic Charities, its leadership, and Board of Directors on legal, regulatory, and compliance matters.  She was born and raised in Rochester, NY. Her parents were first-generation Italian Americans whose families immigrated to the United States from Abruzzo, Italy 100 years ago. Lisa’s homelife was steeped in Italian American values prioritizing family, faith, and education. Family trips to their ancestral village, Castelnuovo, in the Province of L’Aquila, solidified her connection to culture.
Throughout her educational career, Lisa remained loyal to her heritage. At John Carroll University, she interned at the Vice Consulate of Italy for the State of Ohio, served as President of the student Italian Club, and received Il Cenacolo Italiana’s Borsa di Studio Italian language scholarship. She earned her Juris Doctor from Cleveland State University College of Law, and volunteered in leadership roles in the Justinian Forum, Il Cenacolo Italiano di Cleveland, Northern Ohio Italian American Foundation, and the Italian American Women’s Network. She wrote articles for early publications of La Gazzetta Italiana and Fra Noi, Chicago’s Italian newspaper; served on the Alta House Board of Directors; and is member of the Italian Sons and Daughters of America/University Lodge, and Order of Sons and Daughters of Italy in America.
Lisa received the 2022 Volunteer of the Year Award from the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association and was the 2022 inaugural recipient of Crain’s Cleveland Business Nonprofit General Counsel Award.
Lisa is the mother of David Dominic Black; the daughter of the late Mary Jean and Dominic Gasbarre; granddaughter of the late Celeste and Pasquale Daniele and Zaccaria and Angeladea Gasbarre, strong and courageous individuals who left behind a cultural legacy.

• Alicia Louise Mazzi Alicia Louise Mazzi
• Anthony Taddeo Anthony Taddeo
• Frank Barresi, Sr. Frank Barresi, Sr.
• Lisa Gasbarre Black,... Lisa Gasbarre Black,...
• Maria Costanzo Maria Costanzo
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