L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2026 www.italoamericano.org L'Italo-Americano 2 E v e r y y e a r , a s O c t o b e r c o l o r s t h e h i l l s o f S a n Francisco and the breeze off the Bay begins to turn sharper, North Beach once again becomes the heart of Italian life in Califor- nia. Its streets fill with tradi- t i o n a l m u s i c , t h e v o i c e s o f neighborhood festivals and the measured pace of the Ital- ian Heritage Parade's Grand Parade, historically tied to Columbus Day celebrations and, dating back to 1868, the oldest continuously held Italian- American civic celebration in the United States. It is far more than a folkloric reenactment: for the Italian-American community of the Bay Area, it is a welcome boost to cultural identity and a reminder of the ties that continue to hold the community together. For Californians of Italian origin, the San Francisco parade is also a recurring affirmation of the part their com- munity played in building the modern state. During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, thousands of immi- grants arrived from Italy's maritime regions, particularly Liguria, Sicily and Campania, and many found in North Beach, and in the fishing industry around Fisherman's A bridge of memory and pride: the Parade and Italian Heritage Month in SF From the Editor Wharf, the opportunity to build a new social and economic life. The parade remembers that past while celebrating the long process of integration that began there. During the event, younger generations come into contact with that history, sometimes meeting older members of the community who still preserve a dialect or memories of immigration. More importantly, third- and fourth-genera- tion Italian Americans are given an opportunity to rediscov- er and strengthen their own connection with those roots. By celebrating the achievements of long-established families, local business owners, artists and professionals, the parade turns individual memories into a source of collective pride before the city as a whole. It therefore becomes a moment of shared visibility and recognition, but also an occasion to bring together mutual- aid societies, regional clubs and cultural organizations, and with them, the values of solidarity, family and conviviality that helped the community overcome the prejudices of the past. If the parade is the most visible moment, an anchor between past and present, Italian Heritage Month gives October a broader cultural framework and adds depth and substance to the celebrations. In a dynamic multicultural city such as San Francisco, and indeed, in cities throughout California and the West Coast, a full month devoted to Ital- ian heritage plays an important role in both preservation and promotion. It creates the space for lectures and art exhibitions, film series and concerts that can move beyond familiar stereo- types and tell the story of Italian migration in all its com- plexity, with its sacrifices, its difficult process of integration and the talent that generations of immigrants brought with them. Through the involvement of schools, universities and cultural institutions such as San Francisco's Museo Italo Americano, Heritage Month also encourages the teaching of the Italian language and greater recognition of Italy's con- temporary artistic and scientific achievements. At the same time, it allows the Italian-American commu- nity to stand alongside the city's other cultural communities – Chinese, Hispanic, African American and Native – and affirm the value of the Italian contribution within Califor- nia's broader social and cultural life. In Los Angeles, a vast and decentralized metropolis, these celebrations are inevitably more dispersed, and over time they have changed in form, yet they remain important points of reference and valuable occasions to give visibility to a history that was fundamental to the development of the city, as well as to the growth of Southern California's wine, agricultural and film industries. From the IAMLA ( Italian American Museum of Los Angeles) to the Italian-American community of San Pedro, Italian Heritage Month goes well beyond food, live music, exhibitions, religious processions and cultural parades: its real value lies in keeping the com- munity present and visible. In an age of rapid digitalization and globalization, events such as the North Beach parade and the celebrations of Ital- ian Heritage Month remind us that cultural roots are not fragments of some distant past. They remain alive, capable of strengthening a sense of belonging and allowing a large, deeply rooted West Coast community to look toward the future with dignity, awareness and pride. 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 40156 Pasadena CA 91114 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 © 2025 L'Italo-Americano Membership: One year $59 - Single copy $2.25 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to L'Italo Americano P.O. Box 40156 Pasadena CA 91114 Selling Homes Throughout The Bay Area Adele Della Santina "The Right Realtor makes all the di昀erence." 650.400.4747 Adele.DellaSantina@compass.com www.AdeleDS.com DRE# 00911740 Expert in preparation, promotion, and negotiation!

• Cover