Local Leaders to be Inducted into Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame

The Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame (IHHF) will be adding four iconic contributors to the fabric of life in Connecticut and America, representing vast accomplishment and varied backgrounds and religious traditions. The induction ceremony by the National Immigrant Heritage Center will take place on Thursday, July 14, 2022.

The new class of IHHF inductees will include distinguished individuals who have been leaders, activists and scholars in education, human rights, science, philanthropy, and interreligious understanding. They are:

• Judith Altmann, educator, human rights activist and Holocaust survivor
• Marilda Gándara, corporate attorney, business and philanthropic leader
• Aida Mansoor, scholar, Islamic Chaplain and activist for interreligious understanding
• Radenka Maric, Interim President, University of Connecticut

“We are very pleased to recognize this inspiring group of individuals who embody the kind of perseverance, commitment to excellence and notable achievement that have made our world a better place,” said Demetrios Giannaros, president of the National Immigrant Heritage Center, based in New Britain, CT. “They are truly remarkable, and their contributions serve to motivate and encourage future generations to excel.”

The mission of the National Immigrant Heritage Center is to “celebrate, preserve, publicize, and promote immigrant heritage and cultural diversity as defining characteristics of the American Nation, and the contributions of Immigrants and Immigration to American economy, culture, and civil society.”

Women to be Honored in 2022

The upcoming IHHF Induction Ceremony and Gala – honoring Judith Altmann, Marilda Gándara, Aida Mansoor and Radenka Maric - will mark the first time in which an entire class of IHHF inductees are women, highlighting the indispensable role of women to America’s immigrant heritage.

In addition to honoring each inductee, the 2022 event honoring the new inductees will also include an artistic program featuring performances reflecting the cultural backgrounds and heritage of the inductees. The annual induction ceremony was postponed due to the coronavirus and limitations on public gatherings during the past two years. It will be held on July 14 at the AquaTurf in Plantsville, CT.

The number of individuals and families honored by the Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame since its inception in 2013 will total 35, with the four new inductees. Detailed inductee profiles – for the 2022 honorees and previous inductees - can be seen on the IHHF website at immigrantheritage.org.

The IHHF celebrates the diverse ethnic heritage of Connecticut by honoring individuals and institutions who exemplify the best of their immigrant heritage and who have made outstanding contributions to the cultural, economic and civic development of our state and nation. The IHHF preserves heritage through publication of biographies and histories, and strives to educate the public about the importance of immigrant heritage to the identity of America and about the contributions of immigrants and immigrant communities.

Acclaimed Ukranian-American Pianist, Educator to Keynote Induction Ceremony

Keynote speaker for the IHHF induction ceremony will be Angelina Gadeliya, Professor of Piano and Coordinator of Keyboard Studies at the University of Connecticut. She was born in Sukhumi, Georgia where she began her musical studies at the age of five and continued them in Ukraine until moving to the US in 1990. Praised for her “refined and exceptionally phrased and stylized” playing (Telavivcity.com), and her “rare ability to make music speak” (The Colorado Springs Gazette), pianist Angelina Gadeliya leads a rich musical life as a soloist, chamber musician, a new music expert, and educator, and has been featured in performances across the U.S. and internationally.

Her work with Ensemble Connect and the NYC-based Decoda ensemble has frequently brought her to the stages of Carnegie Hall and the Juilliard School, as well as to Germany, South Korea, Abu Dhabi, and the Trinity Wall Street series. Her festival affiliations include the Beijing International Music Festival and Academy and she serves as the President of the Fryderyk Chopin Society of Connecticut. Under her guidance, the Chopin Society has been actively raising funds in recent weeks that are being sent directly to charities and shelters in Ukraine. For more information, please go to:

New Nonprofit Operates Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame

The Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame was initially a project of the Polish American Foundation of Connecticut, Inc., a 501(c)3 charitable organization, which launched and operated the Hall of Fame from inception. It was succeeded by the establishment during 2021 of the National Immigrant Heritage Center (NIHC), an independent 501(c)3 organization established as a multi-ethnic Center, inclusive in its mission, structure and governance.

NIHC aims to promote and publish research, lectures and conferences on the many dimensions of Connecticut’s immigrant heritage and the role of immigration throughout the American economy and culture. Its work, and the annual Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame induction ceremony, is to be supported by an endowment that organizers anticipate will sponsor, support and provide research fellowships, to further these activities and expand public awareness and understanding.

Tickets for the 2022 Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame gala are now available. A wide variety of sponsorships are also available to support the event and the National Immigrant Heritage Center.

For up-to-date event, ticket and sponsorship information, visit immigrantheritage.org or call (860) 829-1215.