Master Joseph Lupo, Sr.

Born October 11, 1948 in Borgetto, Sicily (Italy); Grandmaster Joseph Lupo came from humble beginnings with the dream of always coming to America. Upon arriving, he began working hard to support his family and future family. In March of 1972, he walked into a small store where he noticed a man laying tiles on the floor; the small store, in Astoria Queens, turned out to be the Moon Sung Lee Taekwondo Institute. It was from this institute that Joseph Lupo Sr. became Grandmaster Moon S. Lee’s first student and black belt.

Through years of dedication and love for the Martial Arts, Joseph Lupo Sr. became a Master Instructor. Along with Grandmaster Moon S. Lee, they opened a school in Whitestone. It was there that GM Joseph Sr. and his wife Grace would instill their love for Taekwondo to countless students, especially their children. Their oldest daughter Jennie became a 2nd Degree Black Belt and is now a practicing Dentist. His youngest son Vincent, who is also a 2nd Degree Black Belt, runs the family restaurant. His oldest son Joseph Jr., a 6th degree Master instructor, who wanted nothing more to make his father happy, would follow in his footsteps and dedicate his life to Taekwondo.

The greatest philosophy he taught was – “your belt is worn around your heart, never your waist.” Taekwondo always comes from the heart; this is something students of the New York Black Belt Center will learn for generations to come. Grandmaster Joseph Sr. was taken from us way too soon, but his teachings will never be forgotten.