L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2016 www.italoamericano.org L'Italo-Americano 7 SAN FRANCISCO ITALIAN COMMUNITY O c t o b e r i s o f f i c i a l l y National Italian Heritage Month in the U.S. Italian Heritage Month has been cele- brated in America since 1999 a n d w a s d e s i g n a t e d b y Presidential Proclamation. This month is chosen to coincide with Columbus Day in October and the festivities associated with this occasion. This celebration of all that is Italian is an opportunity for peo- ple of Italian ancestry to take pride in their culture and cele- brate both Italian achievements and the lives that Italians have built in America. It is estimated that there are now over 17 mil- lion people with Italian ancestry living in the United States. They account for 5.4 percent of the U . S . p o p u l a t i o n a n d a r e t h e fourth largest European ethnic g r o u p i n t h e c o u n t r y . Approximately 84 percent of Italian Americans have origins in s o u th er n I taly an d S icily . Modern Italian American culture is influenced by both Italian and American traditions, lifestyle, and history. San Francisco has been an important stronghold for Italians since the 1800s. In 1858, Nicola Larco, a prominent member of t h e I t a l i a n c o l o n y o f S a n Francisco, became founding president of La Societa Italiana d i M u t u a B e n e f i c e n z a , t h e Italian Mutual Benefit Society. It was the first such Italian soci- ety in the United States. S o m e y e a r s l a t e r , L a r c o established San Francisco's first Columbus Day celebration with an inaugural parade taking place in San Francisco's downtown. It featured bands and marching units of Italian fraternal organi- zations, including the Garibaldi G u a r d , S w i s s G u a r d s a n d Lafayette Guards. Four floats w e r e f e a t u r e d ; o n e w i t h t h e s t a t u t e o f C h r i s t o p h e r Columbus, the second featuring two girls representing Spain and America, the third depicting the " S a n t a M a r i a " w i t h a s a i l o r d r e s s e d a s C h r i s t o p h e r Columbus, and the fourth hon- oring Italian gardeners and their agricultural achievements. Other notable years for San Francisco's Italian community w e r e : 1 9 0 9 w h e n C a l i f o r n i a declared October 12 a legal hol- i d a y k n o w n a s " D i s c o v e r y Day"; 1911 when Assemblyman D e N e g r i o f S a n F r a n c i s c o introduced legislation to name the holiday "Columbus Day"; a n d 1 9 1 0 w h e n P r e s i d e n t William Howard Taft declared October 12 as a legal national holiday. In 1915, the San Francisco Columbus Day Committee was o r g a n i z e d b y t h e S a l e s i a n Fathers of St. Peter and Paul's Church in North Beach. The cel- ebration grew to include activi- ties such as a formal Grand Ball and a ceremony where a young man and woman are selected by the community to be crowned as the Spanish monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella to preside over the festivities. And so it continued over many decades until 1994 when the Columbus Day Parade evolved into the Italian Heritage Parade in an effort to celebrate the accomplishments and culture o f a l l I t a l i a n s a n d I t a l i a n - Americans. This brings us to 2 0 1 6 w h e n S a n F r a n c i s c o ' s Italian-American community c e l e b r a t e d i t s 1 4 8 t h I t a l i a n Heritage Parade on October 9. It f e a t u r e d I t a l i a n a n d I t a l i a n - American dignitaries, music, performances, floats and repre- sentatives of Italian and Italian- American organizations and b u s i n e s s e s . T h i s y e a r , Alexandra Cotroneo was Queen Isabella, Joseph Cervetto was Columbus and the Parade Grand Marshals were Paul Tonelli and Brian Boitano. San Francisco celebrated in style at numerous e v e n t s t h r o u g h o u t t h e C i t y including the Italian Consulate Reception on October 7, and the G r a n d B a l l , a t t h e M a r k Hopkins Hotel, on October 8. CATHERINE ACCARDI Make Every Month Italian Heritage Month The 2016 Italian Heritage month, is coming to a close, and although San Francisco's major I t a l i a n h e r i t a g e e v e n t s h a v e passed, there is no need to slow down because there are plenty of ways to keep the momentum going with activities like those described below. In particular, the Italian Cultural Institute offers events all year long. The Institute is located at 601 Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco. V i s i t t h e i r w e b s i t e a t http://www.iicsanfrancisco.esteri .it. One of the Institute's events will be Omaggio a Firenze, A T r i b u t e t o F l o r e n c e , w h i c h begins on November 3 and con- tinues through December 2. This event will commemorate the 50 th anniversary of the tragic days of the 1966 flood and the h e r o i c e f f o r t s t o s a l v a g e F l o r e n c e ' s m a n y t r e a s u r e s . There will be a selection of con- temporary photographs and a b o o k p r e s e n t a t i o n b y M i k e Nelsen, exploring the beauty of Florence, juxtaposed with color l i t h o g r a p h s b y L u c i a n o Guarnieri, depicting scenes from the 1966 flood. The Italian Film Festival of Marin County has grown over its 40 years into a perennial favorite in the San Francisco Bay Area. Several days of film are still available for 2016 including October 29 and closing night on November 5. October 29 the Festival will present the comedy "What A Beautiful Surprise", ("Ma Che Bella Sorpresa"), star- r i n g t h e g r e a t c o m i c a c t o r , Claudio Bisio. November 5 is the festival's closing night with the drama, "Another South", ("Una Storia Sbagliata"), a powerful story about a nurse from Sicily. Visit t h e f e s t i v a l w e b s i t e a t http://www.italianfilm.com/film0 7.html. San Francisco's Italian Film Festival, at the Vogue Theater, will take place from November 16th to the 20 th . New Italian C i n e m a i s p r e s e n t e d b y t h e Italian Cultural Institute of San F r a n c i s c o a n d N e w I t a l i a n Cinema Events of Florence, Italy ( N . I . C . E ) . T h e f e s t i v a l w i l l screen seven dramas by up and coming directors, competing for the City of Florence Award; three award-winning documen- taries; and five new dramas by veteran directors. Visit the festi- v a l w e b s i t e a t h t t p : / / w w w . newitaliancinema.org. Italian Consulate Reception 2016 with Consul General Lorenzo Ortona. Photo courtesy of Nickolas Marinelli rm rm C C 6 y s om ty se om ity T o m d al un al er atio r t o m w h ncs com and www an d a Coloniale J i liancs.com dent and p e he C y ca i ta d ion ica d d good l. .italiancs.com 94133 6 www 5 6423 • nci o, CA 94133 362 • 415 n Francisco, CA 94133 an Francisco, CA 94133 G S 67 Street S 78 Green Street 678 Green Street C C a . oh F ohn F F F. Fugazi asa e J Casa Coloniale J ill. wil tion and good dw dw s n t cation and good uca du du d p y, e on y, e ed ed ty, e un ty, e i unit it eng y, comm muni il il ily, comm m amil mil f h om f fam ng t c a hat com at com t t tha r uo ang a and s ia e h th engt hasi ul r tr s he s t r hasis on t the s h a p d p h an emp phasis on t phasis on t th an emp th an emp nd p it e, w wi ur tur cult ing uage alian lang iv li tiv talian lang It he d p ing t the e ving t ving t mm r er r dent and p re p and p pr pr de ing r d to hono ed to hono ed to hono i ie e m commi mi p h nd . W e liv v. W r ctive liv d uctiv rodu pendent and p prod li am hem y, inde ependent and p ependent and p and hy, inde th alt e he eal liv hem liv ve he an t f p t them liv them liv h n-A help t c d rour rc to B ed rour ed rour te rust trus h th it ili w wi Ita Ser a amili w fam fam and and d f it rs rs io enio ican senio ican mer e alian-Amer er C t n C talian-Ame talian-Ame It It alia Se y ay A B a v es id B rovid prov vices r Italian Community Ser rvices rvices s e er o ormation and r ma als r err ation nation d eferr o ormation and r er ommunity ser un • Inf formation and r dination a grants mmigrants i vice coor e • Community ser t ti n f nsla w immigrants ne /ne s or senior anslation f for senior r • T Tr . . zi and om d 33 com Fugazi e and e e are e ar to W We ar c to a ea r A

• Cover