New civic association well received

The Intercommunity Civic Association (ICA) was well-received by community leaders who attended its inaugural meeting, recently held at the Villa Russo catering hall in Richmond Hill.
ICA President Dr. Taj Rajkumar and Vice President George Russo created the new group to speak to what they saw as a community need.
“A community has many aspects,” said Russo, who is a lawyer and community activist in South Queens. “Businesses, professionals, residents. We want to bring all those components into one organization.”
Russo said there is “no ongoing focused and serious civic association” that accomplishes that goal.
ICA, which currently has 35 members, is unique in two ways among the many civic groups that run through Queens. First, Russo said, it is comprised mainly of business leaders and professionals with significant reach in their communities, which allows the group to adopt a liaison role between residents and local leaders.
Second, ICA does not have a defined service area. Though mostly a southern Queens organization, its members will do their best to cater to the needs of anyone who seeks help borough-wide, said Russo.
But voicing the community’s concerns is only one of ICA’s goals.
“We [also] want to address needs of businessmen and businesspeople,” said Rajkumar, who is the Democratic leader of the 31st Assembly district in addition to his post as ICA President. “They have a lot of concern, and they need attention.”
Rajkumar said ICA also hopes to organize programs for those affected by domestic violence, substance abuse, and financial trouble, as well as act as a means of communication between parents and schools.
“The motivation that I saw was unbelievable,” said Frank Gulluscio, District Manager for Community Board (CB) 6. Gulluscio was one of over 100 attendees at ICA’s first meeting. Other notable guests included Councilmember Joseph Addabbo and Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown, each of whom made speeches wishing the new association good luck and pledging support.
Such positive sentiment was common, though there were some moderate reminders of the challenge that lies ahead for ICA.
“New groups have growing pains,” said Betty Braton, Chair of CB 10, who spoke briefly at the meeting on Queens’ rich history of community activism. “It’s not that I’m skeptical, but being able to implement all the things they’re talking about requires a lot of hands and coordination. They’re on the right track, though.”
Addabbo said such difficulty cannot be an excuse for failing to bridge the many complex gaps between business, residents and leaders.
“I’m of the belief that there is strength in numbers,” said Addabbo. “The meeting combined many leaders under one roof…we in Queens are pieces of a puzzle. We’re different shapes and colors, but together we make one picture. If even one piece of that puzzle is missing, we’re not complete. So we have to find a way to integrate all aspects and needs in the community.”
Rajkumar has no doubt his new organization can produce broad, positive results.
“We’re not gonna be a group that has a lot of meetings, that comes together every month and doesn’t do anything,” he said. “We’re more about organizing groups and programs and getting things done.”