Italian American Stories - Frank Di Piero
Frank Di Piero was born in Chicago and is 100% Italian origin. He has traveled to Italy many times and attended two study abroad programs in Italy, one in Roma and one in Firenze. He is the former President of The Harlem Avenue Italian & American Business Association and was on the committee to start an Italian American Studies Program at Loyola Un...
Air Force Staff Sergeant Steven Decker
Stationed in Italy during the Vietnam War, Steven Decker had a remarkable vantage point on the 1968 crisis in Czechoslovakia as an air traffic controller at the U.S. Air Base in Aviano. The middle of three children, Steven Decker was born in Chicago to Roy and Kathryn Tomasello Decker, who were living near North Avenue and Larrabee. When Decker was...
Memories of Easters past
With the frigid temperatures (hopefully) a distant memory, we can now set our sights on the warmer months to come. The one pleasure of surviving a Chicago winter is planning to make the best possible use of the coming good weather. Right now, we’re in the midst of Lent which began on February 22, and we’re looking forward to our Easter celebration...
One blessed moment
La Signora Vincenza Tomasello and her five daughters were busy shopping, baking and preparing their home for visitors on a very special day, a truly glorious day. The women were thrilled because it was March 19 — St. Joseph’s Day — but it was so much more than that. The year was 1946, World War II had finally ended and their men were home at last....
Casa to honor Lezza, Russo
Casa Italia will honor Edward S. Lezza Jr. as Man of the Year and Joseph A. Russo as Humanitarian of the Year at its 2023 gala. The event will take place on Feb. 25 at Ashton Place in Willowbrook. For details, click here. The following profiles were provided by the organization. Edward S. Lezza Jr. Edward S. Lezza Jr. is a resident of Westchester,...
Italian Neighborhood Guide: Cleveland, Ohio
In the 50 years from 1870 to 1920, it’s estimated that more than 20,000 Italian immigrants ended up in Cleveland. The city was on its way up, filled with mills and factories looking for cheap labor, and Italian immigrants were more than willing to pitch in, settling in enclaves within the city. Today, a century later, vestiges of their work and cul...
'Pompeii: The Exhibition' Opening February 23, 2023 at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago
Pompeii, a Roman city destroyed by nature more than 1,900 years ago, was preserved in a volcanic time capsule after the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The city, fixed in time, provides a glimpse into what life was like in ancient Rome. Pompeii: The Exhibition brings you to the bustling commercial port and trading center that once was Pomp...
Il Giorno della Memoria – International Holocaust Remembrance Day! Film Screening
The Consulate of Italy in Detroit, in collaboration with the Dante Alighieri Society of Michigan, presents the screening of two movies, Twenty Minutes, directed by Daniele Esposito and Piazza, directed by Karen Di Porto, in commemoration of International Holocaust Remembrance Day. On Sunday, January 29, 2023 at 3:30 pm at the Maple Theatre located...
Scaramuzzo to helm CIACO
Lou Scaramuzzo has embarked upon his second term as president of the Chicagoland Italian American Charitable Organization, accepting the gavel from Bob Urbinati. A member of CIACO since 2003 and a board member since 2005, Scaramuzzo has served as secretary, second vice president and first vice president, in addition to his seven-year stint as presi...
Celebrate Carmel, Indiana’s new Italian sister city Cortona
The City of Carmel has a new international sister city! Cortona, Italy is Carmel’s fourth sister city, joining Jelgava in Latvia, Kawachinagano, Osaka, Japan and Xiangyang, Hubei, China. To celebrate the new sister city, the Rotary Club of Carmel and the City of Carmel are hosting an Italian experience. On February 17 a VIP event will host a Corton...
IAP 264: Frankie D. is Keepin' It Real in Chicago
When it comes to celebrating our Italian American culture, sometimes you need to capture every moment as it happens. Such is the case for this week’s guest, Frank Di Piero. Frank is the host of “Keepin’ It Real with Frankie D.” at ItalianAmericanLife.com. With more than 100 “Italian American Moments” to his credit, Frank believes in making our cult...
Italian American Club in Kenosha honors Carmelo Tenuta as 2022 Person of the Year
The Italian American Club in Kenosha was bursting at the seams with the number of people who came to celebrate Carmelo Tenuta Saturday night. Named 2022 Italian American Person of the Year, friends, family, club members and members of the community turned out for a gala dinner Saturday to celebrate him. “It’s surreal,” Tenuta said. “My first job wa...