L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19 2023 www.italoamericano.org L'Italo-Americano 2 H ow much do we b e l o n g t o t h e places where we l i v e , a n d h o w much do these places become a part of us? These questions might seem to offer straightforward answers, but the crux of the matter is dif- ferent: how aware are we of this relationship? I n a w o r l d s e e m i n g l y homogenized by globalization — where our social media feeds bombard us with increasingly similar and artificially curated images — a closer examination of our immediate environment can serve as a grounding point. Much of who we are stems from the environment we inhab- it, the family that raises us, and the community we engage with. Similarly, the landscape around us profoundly influences our lives — from our living conditions and architectural choic- es to the clothing we wear for weather appropriateness, right down to the urban structures that define our locales. We con- sume certain foods because they are local, or adopt specific customs because they are the tradition of the place. Moreover, whether we keep our windows open or closed depends on external factors like scorching sunshine, bone-chilling snow, or potentially smog-ridden traffic. A little extra thought into how deeply our behaviors are tied to the environment can illumi- nate the environment's profound impact on us. If we further consider that each place has its own long histo- ry — that is, it exists in its current form because it was previ- ously created, altered, adapted, and interpreted by those who came before us — it becomes evident that "our" places are far from neutral. They convey narratives and experiences that have been passed down, making us living vessels of these sto- ries and experiences. Whether it's the "our" in "our home," the city we identify with, the park at the end of "our street," or the skyline that unfolds as we embark on "our" jogging route, these places say a great deal about who we are. Though we might not distinctly realize it —until perhaps we switch cities or states for college or The cultural heritage within us and the gift of Italian Heritage Month From the Editor move a two-hour flight away for work — each place we inhabit contributes to shaping our mental map. Contained within this mental map is not just a reflection of ourselves but also of the environment that surrounds us. The very definition of a "place" is molded in our minds. We define it not merely through its physical characteristics, but through our perceptions, sensations, the value we assign based on our experiences there, and even the meanings that others who inhabit or interact with that place have given it. Every location is a compendium of images from the past, a result of changes over time, of legacies handed down or lost throughout the cen- turies. In essence, it forms a part of our personal and social memory and our identity. While it has a tangible, material aspect, it's also a construct that involves our memories, human influence, and the way we navigate through it. Why discuss places during this Italian Heritage Month? Precisely because, similar to the objective of the exhibition on UNESCO sites hosted at the Italian Cultural Institute of Los Angeles —which we discuss in our cover story — when we observe our places, we gradually uncover a great deal about our cultural identity. If you reside in San Francisco, accustomed to the fogs that envelop the Golden Gate Bridge and the deep greens of valleys that overlook the wind-swept blue ocean, you'd find it difficult to identify with the arid, sun-browned colors of the nearby Nevada desert. If you see a photo of Vesuvius, even if it's miles away, it's likely you'll feel it's much "closer" because your mind houses images embedded from grandparents' tales, memories of distant travels, and fragrances described to you, perhaps even old photographs that make it a familiar place. Our heritage, both cultural and natural, is comprised of far more than mountains or plains, rocky coasts, or winter mists. A native of Piedmont living in Napa Valley will see a piece of his homeland because he carries it within him. A Sicilian fish- erman who emigrated to the West Coast in the early 20th cen- tury envisioned San Pedro in Los Angeles as a slice of his homeland, even though the Pacific is a world apart from the Mediterranean. We identify with places, carry pieces of them within us, and interpret new landscapes through the lens of those we've inhabited. This is why we bring along traditions, rituals, culi- nary habits, and celebrations that belong to different locales from where we've moved for study, work, or living. We are the places where we were born and raised, our families, our ances- tors, and the history of our communities. We're also the places we've lived in — the homes, the towns, and their traditions, Sunday rituals or public holidays, the people we've met, and the communities that have shaped our way of inhabiting a place. From the moment we are born, we start to belong to a place, absorbing and remembering it. This means we will carry it with us, even if we are a thousand miles away, across an ocean, or 11 hours by plane. These places, no matter how distant, forgotten, or aban- doned, will chase us. When we move, we also carry away a piece of those places' identities—how life was lived there, the gestures and language, the social rituals, the bonds of a com- munity. Understanding these affiliations, reclaiming and processing them, is a fascinating journey towards self-discovery. Often, we're unaware of the immense baggage we carry within. Hav- ing a month each year to reflect upon this is, in the end, a gen- erous gift — it provides a unique and rare time to realize it. So unwrap this gift given by Italian Heritage Month, dear readers, and revel in the surprise of this Italian-American heritage we carry within. Simone Schiavinato, Editor Simone Schiavinato NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS Member of FUSIE (Federazione Unitaria Stampa Italianaall'Estero), COGITO L'Italo-Americano Please send correspondence to P.O. BOX 6528, ALTADENA, CA 91003 www.italoamericano.org L'Italo-Americano Newspaper (a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization), www.italoameri- cano.org, is the largest and longest-running Italian newspaper in America, not to men- tion the cultural and news resource for all things Italian in the US. A bilingual newspaper which represents an historical landmark for the Italian American Communities in the West Coast and throughout the US. L'Italo-Americano benefits from subsidies by the Italian Government, Memberships and Donations intended to support and not interrupt a mission that began in 1908 to preserve and promote the Italian language and culture in the USA Periodicals postage paid at Monrovia, California 91016, and additional mailing offices. PUBLISHER Robert Barbera Grande Ufficiale EDITOR IN CHIEF Simone Schiavinato ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER Patrick Abbate EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Barbara Minafra COPY EDITOR Francesca Bezzone LOS ANGELES CONTRIBUTOR Silvia Nittoli SAN FRANCISCO CONTRIBUTORS Serena Perfetto SEATTLE CONTRIBUTOR Rita Cipalla CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mariella Radaelli, Matt Walker, Francesca Bezzone, Luca Ferrari, Stefano Carnevali, Paula Reynolds, Teresa Di Fresco Nicoletta Curradi, Generoso D'Agnese, Jessica S. Levy, Fabrizio Del Bimbo, Maria Gloria, Chuck Pecoraro, Anthony Di Renzo Serena Perfetto, Kenneth Scambray, Chiara D'Alessio, Luca Signorini, Giulia Franceschini © 2020 L'Italo-Americano Membership: One year $59 - Single copy $2.25 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to L'Italo Americano PO Box 6528 Altadena, CA 91003

• Cover