L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2017 www.italoamericano.org 28 L'Italo-Americano " When I first received the call from Lorenzo Ortona, I could not believe it. I was senza parole, I mean totally speechless." As we kicked off the conversation, that's the first thought that Angela Alioto shared with me about the hon- orific title as Cavaliere della Repubblica Italiana she received in June. The ceremony was host- ed by the Consul General of Italy in San Francisco, Lorenzo Ortona, and welcomed Mrs Alioto family, which today includes her children and grand- children. Angela Alioto, born in 1949, is the daughter of Joseph Alioto and Angelina Genaro Alioto. Her father served as the 36th Mayor of San Francisco from 1968 through 1976, during the city's most dynamic growth. Mrs. Alioto followed her father into both her legal and political careers: her father graduated magna cum laude in 1937 from St. Mary's College in Moraga, California, and was awarded a scholarship to law school at Catholic University in Washington, whereas Mrs Alioto graduated from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 1983. The importance of Italian cul- ture in Mrs. Alioto's life came right from the family she belonged to and pushed her towards being an active part of the local community. "Angela Alioto is today one of the most prominent Italo-Americans in San Francisco," Mr Ortona underlined. "She is very well known and appreciated for her commitment as a lawyer and a political activist in the field of human rights. Mrs Alioto has a very strong passion for Italy that she always promotes, at every occasion." In 1988, she got elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, reaching second place in a field of 24 candidates, and was reelected in November 1992, winning the election with nearly 150,000 votes and becom- ing Board President. "Her commitment for the Cavalieri di San Francesco of Assisi is a constant expression of her willingness to contribute to the presence of the Italian culture in the Bay Area" the Consul General reminded. "The honor of knight (Cavaliere) of the Italian Republic is given to her as an acknowledgement of her dedica- tion to represent the Italian cul- ture in the Bay Area and the fact that she is a model for the new Italian American generations." Mrs. Alioto, how did you learn you were bestowed the prestigious decoration 'Cavaliere'? That happened a few weeks ago, when the Consul General called to say he had received the announcement via email. Not only I was surprised, but I was also honored to hear such thing. I did not expect it, yet I was very excited. Because of the nature of my work, I talked publicly all the time, nevertheless I could not help but get very emotional and speechless at that moment. Italy has been and is a major part of my life, and this recognition means a lot to me. How did your attachment with Italy strengthen over time? My grandparents came from two families of Sicilian immi- grants. My grandfather, Giuseppe, came to San Francisco from Palermo at the age of 9 and found work on fishing boats at SERENA PERFETTO Angela Alioto, her Love for Italy, and the 'Cavaliere' della Repubblica Italiana Decoration the San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf. My dad worked on his boats as a kid, before going to college, where he enrolled in Law school, and eventually start- ed his political and legal careers. Besides the strong connection with Italy, we spoke only a bit of Italian at home. Nevertheless, since I turned 15, every summer, I have been going back to Italy and eventually, in 1975, I bought a house in Fregene. Ten years ago, I also bought a little chapel in Trevi, in the Umbria region, where I can spend time praying while my grand-children play. Italy is literally my own paradise. What is your personal con- nection with the Italian com- munity in San Francisco? When I was little, my family spent lots of time within the Italian community in North Beach, which was very large at that time. Also, while my grand- parents did not speak English, my dad became Mayor of the city. I kept up his work and, when I got elected myself, I found that there were many ways to protect the Italian heritage. This is what I have done for forty years of my life: I made sure the Italian and also the Sicilian her- itages were protected in the city of San Francisco. In 2005, thanks to a partnership with Cardinal William Levada, we built the Porziuncola Nuova, an exact replica of the original little chapel that Saint Francis himself built in Assisi. It was opened in September 2008. What does being a Cavaliere d'Italia mean for your family? My children and my grand- children are all Italian citizens. My husband was from Padua, so they are 50% Padovani and 50% Sicilian. They were excited because they are proud Italian and consider it as an acknowl- edgement for the whole family. Let's not forget that, in 2001, my daughter started La Piccola Scuola for my grand-daughter, Chiara Mia, when we realized there were no Italian speaking schools in San Francisco. Would you have any advice for future generations of Italian immigrants? I believe it is crucial to be a proud Italian and to be proud of being so. You can be Italian in any conversation, because every- body loves Italy and the Italians. Young people are still coming to San Francisco, but they need to keep in mind their roots so peo- ple around can understand and learn about them. In my case, for instance, when I am with other people, they always talk about Italy even though I don't say a single word about it. That's because, in people's mind, I do represent Italy in San Francisco. The new generations will need to keep up the good work of the previous ones: any intellectual, artistic, manual work will give the opportunity to make Italian culture flourish. The new genera- tions have a big job now: to ensure that the Italian culture is spread in the Bay Area. Mrs Angela Alioto and Consul General Lorenzo Ortona during the ceremony Mrs Angela Alioto celebrates the Cavaliere della Repubblica title with her five grand-children SAN FRANCISCO ITALIAN COMMUNITY

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