L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2025 www.italoamericano.org 32 L'Italo-Americano F r o m a l a n g u a g e s c h o o l m i x e r t o lectures and pre- sentations in Ital- ian and English, the Dante Alighieri Society of Washington, headquar- tered in Seattle, greets the 2025-26 season with a full slate of events designed to fos- ter member engagement and strengthen the organization's role in promoting the lan- guage and culture of Italy. Some of the new initiatives include an expanded role at the 38 th annual Festa Italiana, a spring festival (Festa di Pri- mavera) and the launch of a line of Dante-branded appar- el. The group also has a new meeting space at the roomy and light-filled Greenwood Senior Center. At the September kick-off party, attendees got a sneak peek at what's in store for the new year. To date, more than a dozen speakers have been confirmed with presentations ranging from the history and culture of amaro to a discus- s i o n a b o u t A l b a ' s f a m o u s white truffles, from the foun- tains of Rome to the rise of the Venetian empire. Two presen- tations are held each month, one in Italian and one in Eng- lish. The Dante Alighieri Society was founded in Rome in 1889; Washington's chapter was established in Seattle some three decades later. An early photo taken on November 1, 1908, identifies the first offi- cers: C. Marchetti, J. Corgiat, M. Pesce, A. Azzalli, and X. P. DeDonato, society president and local physician. During World War II, the Washington chapter was disbanded and started up again in 1972. I n a d d i t i o n t o m e m b e r events and presentations, the Dante Society of Washington also offers language classes under the direction of Prof. Giuseppe Tassone. The lan- g u a g e p r o g r a m m e e t s t h e CEFR requirements for lan- guages (Common European Framework of Reference) and is one of eight US locations to offer the PLIDA certifica- tion exam (Progetto Lingua Italiana Dante Alighieri) – the only school on the West Coast to do so. Taking the organization f o r w a r d i s n e w l y e l e c t e d p r e s i d e n t A l e s s a n d r a Hankinson. Hankinson was b o r n i n R o m e w h e r e h e r American mother worked as a t r a n s l a t o r a n d E n g l i s h t e a c h e r a t t h e I t a l i a n A i r Force and later with the UN's Food and Agriculture Organi- zation; her father was an Ital- ian national. After her parents separat- e d , s h e m o v e d t o t h e U S when she was four. As a stu- dent at the University of Ver- mont, she studied Italian and p a r t i c i p a t e d i n a s t u d y - abroad program in Florence. A f t e r g r a d u a t i o n , s h e returned to Florence for a year to work as a tour guide before relocating to Boston to start a career in retail and e- commerce. She and her hus- band Austin Jodrey, a finan- cial planner, moved to Seattle in 2020 where she joined Amazon as a senior vendor manager. The couple has a young son, Roman. We caught up with Hank- inson after the September welcome party to find out more about her background and her plans for the organi- zation. What drew you to join Dante Seattle? My introduction to Dante began when I started taking Italian courses at the Dante Language School in 2021 to refresh my language skills. As newcomers to Seattle, my husband and I began attend- ing the monthly meetings to try to form a community dur- ing the pandemic. After a few years, I became the program coordinator and with Trevor Pogue, who was then presi- dent, organized some new events and member presenta- tions and revamped some old t r a d i t i o n s , l i k e F e s t a d i Natale, which saw record turn-outs. It was hard work but extremely satisfying. When did you become president? I became the new presi- dent in the spring. With a full-time job and a young child at home, I am stretched thin but I am really passion- ate about growing the society and helping it reach its full p o t e n t i a l . W h e n I w a s appointed president, my hus- band was appointed treasur- er, so it's become a family affair! What are some of the new programs you'll be implementing? I n S e p t e m b e r , D a n t e became the official language- school sponsor of the 38th annual Festa Italiana. We had a much larger presence at the event this year, and teachers from our language program taught some sample classes. I also spent the summer launching our new branded D a n t e g e a r t h a t i n c l u d e s sweatshirts and hats. It's a way to create more member engagement and strengthen o u r b r a n d . C r e a t i n g t h e apparel was a labor of love: I had to adhere to all the Dante global trademark policies and get permission from Rome to do it. But I'm really happy with the results and excited to see how our members react. W e w i l l a l s o c o n t i n u e t o sponsor important cultural events in Seattle like Cinema I t a l i a n S t y l e a n d S e a t t l e Opera. Y o u r e c e n t l y r e c o n - nected with your father in Italy. Tell us about that experience. After moving to the US as a young child, I lost contact w i t h m y f a t h e r a n d m y extended Italian family, and I completely forgot my first language. Fast-forward to 2 0 2 1 : a f t e r 2 5 y e a r s o f estrangement, I found my father on Facebook and we reconnected a few months later. To my relief, he wel- comed the reunion, and I dis- covered I have two younger half-sisters who embraced me as family. I flew to Italy for three weeks where my father and I reconnected, and I met my sisters and my extended relatives. Most of my Italian family live within a few hours of Rome. Since then, I've returned regularly to Italy to spend time with my sisters and fam- ily and celebrate countless Italian holidays and tradi- tions I missed growing up. While I still grieve the years l o s t , I ' m g r a t e f u l t o h a v e reclaimed my Italian family and a vital part of my identity. RITA CIPALLA Seattle's Dante Society greets new season with expanded activities and outreach One of Dante Seattle's youngest members, Roman Jodrey, helps "man" a booth at last year's Festa Italiana with his father Austin; right, a new line of branded apparel is available to Dante Seattle members this year (Photos: Alessandra Hankinson) SEATTLE ITALIAN COMMUNITY

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