In deep need, the Casa has friends, indeed
They say it takes a whole village to raise a child. In the case of Casa Italia, Italian Americans across the metropolitan area recently rallied around the beloved institution. The Casa was hit particularly hard by the pandemic last year, canceling its spring gala and losing a quarter of its operating revenue in one fell swoop. But when the going go...
Artist’s work chosen for international exhibition
Indianapolis-based artist Kris Fiore Hanahan’s work, ADRI, has been selected for Fusion Art’s fourth annual Women Artists International Online Juried Art Exhibition. The work was inspired and commissioned by best-selling author Adriana Trigiani. “ADRI was a study from which came a vision,” Hanahan said. “I have followed Adriana Trigiani’s career fo...
‘Carnivale’ doubles as event to persuade YSU to keep Italian program
Lent begins next Wednesday but the Italian community of Youngstown celebrated their own Mardi Gras Friday night called Carnivale. At the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel social hall Friday night, guests indulged in traditional Italian dishes and drinks. Their goal was to try to persuade Youngstown State University to change its decision to end its Italian St...
Political coalition to honor dynamic duo
The Italian American Political Coalition will honor a pair of local dynamos at its annual Heritage Celebration. Leyden Township Assessor Al Biancalana will receive the coalition’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the event, and DuPage County board member Sam Tornatore will receive the group’s William Paca Award. The event is slated for March 24 at Elm...
JCCIA to showcase frontline women of Italian descent
The Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans and the JCCIA Women’s Division will join hands to celebrate an Italian-American version of Women’s History Month throughout March. In keeping with the 2022 Women’s History Month theme — “Providing Healing, Promoting Hope” — they will honor Italian-American doctors, nurses, police officers, firefighters...
Italian Mardi Gras this Friday at Our Lady of Mount Carmel to feature Italian diplomat
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Basilica has set its annual Carnevale di Venezia, or Italian Mardi Gras, for 6 p.m. Friday at the church’s social hall, 343 Via Mt. Carmel, Youngstown. “The event promotes the support and study of Italian language and culture in the Mahoning Valley,” reads a news release. Festival-goers can enjoy Italian cuisine and “specia...
The Italian Diaspora Archive Resource Map Project
The Italian Diaspora Archive Resource Map Working Group has worked over the last year and a half to evaluate the presence, accessibility, and visibility of archival resources in the Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia tri-state area. Our goal has been to move in incremental steps toward the creation of an accessible, searchable digital resource t...
Remembrance Day celebrated in Detroit with the Italian Consul Baistrocchi
“Never like in a Pandemic is it relevant to talk about a virus. And today we will also talk about one, a more subtle one, because there is nothing as scary and repugnant as the virus that is hate, that is racism and that is antisemitism.” These were the opening words of Consul of Italy in Detroit, Allegra Baistrocchi at the event in commemoration o...
Chicago mayor ordered Columbus statues removed during 2020 unrest. A lawsuit by Italian Americans claims that violated a Park District contract
Italian Americans seeking the return of Chicago’s Christopher Columbus statue to its former pedestal in Little Italy allege that Mayor Lori Lightfoot interfered with a Park District contract to keep the monument on display “in perpetuity,” according to a recently filed complaint. Lightfoot has been newly added as a defendant in a lawsuit the Joint...
National Guard airman Joseph Matty
The oldest of two sons, Joseph Matty was born in Chicago to Ray Matty Sr. and Ann Marie Clark Matty. His paternal great-grandparents emigrated from Palermo, Sicily, and his maternal great-grandparents came from the regions of Calabria and Naples. Matty grew up in the Marquette Park neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago. His grandparents lived a...
Christopher Columbus statue could come back: City takes baby step toward new display
The city of Columbus is requesting bid proposals to develop balanced historic contextual material that could potentially mean the "conditional" return of the city's hastily removed Christopher Columbus statue, which for more than six decades sat outside City Hall. A special 14-member statue committee created by the city and the Columbus Art Commiss...
What's in a name?
As anyone who grew up in Kensington, Roseland and Pullman knows, all you have to do is mention one of the many names we all loved, and the memories come flooding back. Let’s start with a walk down “The Ave” (Michigan Avenue) from 111th Street. A few of the meaningful names are Giovanni’s and Nino’s for pizza and Thom McAn’s, Bovenkirks, Malings and...