#ICelebrateYou - Anthony Miserandino

On the first Wednesday of every month, a small but growing group of us will celebrate someone who made a positive difference in our lives. This month, I want to celebrate someone who has been my teacher and role model for over forty years, and who I’m honored to also call my friend. His name is Anthony Miserandino. 

I grew up in an all-Italian neighborhood in The Bronx, NY in the 1970s. My world was small, largely defined by the city block we lived on. There were big families and lots of food, but there was also racism and organized crime. Almost no one went to college, and the men we looked up to consisted mainly of characters from “The Godfather.”

Then I met Anthony, a teacher at Regis High School. I had never met anyone quite like him: an extremely smart, caring, empathetic man. An excellent teacher, he instilled in me a love for psychology which I still have today. In our theology class, he taught us how to think critically about the texts we were reading, respecting our differing views and teaching us to respect others. He even managed to get our group of young boys to have thoughtful, vulnerable discussions in Human Sexuality class.  

At a crucial time in my development, Anthony showed me that “real men” could be smart and sensitive and caring. I didn’t tell him at the time, but I wanted to be like him. And I still do.

Dear Anthony: Thank you for showing me the way.

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Note: Has someone make a positive difference in your life? Celebrate them publicly on the first Wednesday of the month using the hashtag #ICelebrateYou.

The world has enough negative stories. Let's share the positive.

Anthony and me, then and now.