L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2024 www.italoamericano.org L'Italo-Americano 2 T his is an invitation to all of you. Write to us, share your stories, and let us b e p a r t o f y o u r lives and your contributions to the Italian-American commu- nity. Even something as sim- ple as this—what may seem small—is actually a precious act of involvement and collab- oration, building a collective social identity that we should all feel called to be part of. L'Italo-Americano was founded at the start of the 20th century with just this purpose: to give voice—and therefore visibility, identity, recognition, as well as respect and value— to a group of immigrants who were struggling to find their place in that great land of opportunity, a land that often oppressed, humiliated, and consumed newcomers. Today, much has changed, and the recent tribute by the President of the United States during Italian Heritage Month is just one example of the esteem for the contributions of those with roots in Italy. But this doesn't mean we no longer need to add our own contributions, our own "brick in the wall." Highlighting the work of our associations, the activities at Casa Italiana, our patronal festivals, Sundays spent with friends and family proud of their origins from Liguria to Sici- ly, our efforts to be a part of this diverse Italian-American world, or the events promoted by Italy's consular network— all of these are vital for keeping these foundations alive. A tree flourishes when it has strong, deep, and branching roots. We can pass on our cultural, linguistic, social, and familial heritage if we nurture it every day, whether by preparing a recipe handed down by a great-grandmother, setting the Thank you, Maria Gloria! Now it's up to all of u s t o w r i t e w h a t i t m e a n s t o b e I t a l i a n American From the Editor Sunday dinner table, visiting Tuscany, Piedmont, or Calabria on vacation, discovering our artistic heritage through books and documentaries, or watching our favorite Italian TV shows in our parents' language. Living, expressing, and shar- ing our Italian identity is essential. And, of course, so is com- municating it. Just like Maria Gloria has done for us, with incredible passion and graceful perseverance. For 47 years, Maria Glo- ria has been our steadfast "pillar," using her column to share not only the many "Italian Connections" bridging both sides of the ocean but also her profound love and commitment to preserving the heritage of knowledge, culture, and commu- nity she inherited from those who left Italy to emigrate to the United States. She has lived this heritage deeply, choosing always to remain authentically "Italian" alongside her intense "American" identity. As she announces her well-deserved retirement, we extend our deepest and most heartfelt "Thank you, Maria!" for all her contributions, which have enriched our newspaper week after week with reflections, insights, social critique, and the defense of values. Her work has documented the changes in our Italian-American communities and borne witness to a time when Italian immigrants helped shape the history of their adopted country. She has celebrated the pop legacy of icons like Frank Sinatra, so deeply connected to his Italian-American roots, as well as the quiet, heroic contribu- tions of thousands of unknown Paesani who, as she often wrote, "like astronauts in space," had the courage to make a journey perhaps even more adventurous, crossing the Atlantic and leaving behind family, homeland, and language to face the unknown. No less important was her insight, once the "Secret Histo- ry" of the WWII-era persecution against Italian "enemy aliens" was revealed, to turn this story into a vast collective educational effort, helping foster historical awareness and accurate memory not only among Italian Americans but also within the broader American community. There is another legacy worth mentioning, as part of this call to emulate her invaluable and consistent work in service of the community, her commitment as both a witness and a guiding light for future generations. Between 1921 and 1954, the Campanian immigrant Simon (Sabato) Rodia constructed the soaring Watts Towers from discarded and repurposed materials. Little could he have imagined that they would become a landmark in the Los Angeles landscape—much less one of its most Instagrammed sites. Ermanno Carbonara, a conservator at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and also Italian, is now restoring the towers to their original splendor. It's striking to see this passing of the torch between two men who, in another era, would have called each other Paesani, feeling an inherent bond simply because they both came from Italy. They saw themselves as part of a shared community (paesani, mean- ing members of the same hometown or community), despite not always understanding one another's dialects or coming from vastly different regions—since, objectively, a Sicilian and a Venetian had little in common. Yet this sense of belonging was, and still is, essential: it tells us that we all stand together in telling our shared story. 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.italoamericano.org, is the largest and longest-running Italian news- paper in America, not to mention 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 CONTRIBUTOR 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 © 2024 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

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