Italian Americans accuse Chicago Park District of illegally removing Columbus statue
After a Freedom of Information Act request to the Chicago Park District (CPD) about the Christopher Columbus statues removed this past summer, attorneys for The Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans (JCCIA) found a plethora of paperwork signed over fifty years ago. Included was a signed agreement that in essence states, “The Park District will...
Maestro Riccardo Muti Coaches Young Musicians Via Zoom
First, to set the record straight: This is not a review. It is primarily a note of appreciation to Maestro Riccardo Muti, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s music director, who has not been able to conduct his beloved orchestra since the arrival of the pandemic last March, but has kept in constant touch with his musicians from his home in Ravenna, It...
The Avanti Club in Chicago hopes to inspire young Italian Americans
Pasquale Gianni is the president of the Avanti Club. The Avanti Club is an organization for young Italian Americans. The club is an affiliate of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans, or JCCIA. The Avanti Club is for young people interested in networking, meeting new people, or who just want to get more involved in their Italian American...
JCCIA President Ron Onesti
Crediting the JCCIA with setting him on his life’s path, Ron Onesti is looking to return the favor as the organization’s incoming president. At awards ceremonies, it’s not uncommon for recipients to well up as they recall those who helped them earn their place at the podium. Installations of officers tend to be more stoic affairs, but there Ron One...
Pompeii launches fourth phase of paver project
The Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii is inviting current and former parishioners to buy a paver for placement in the Shrine’s Garden of Remembrance. “If you’ve ever had a special moment in this sacred place, if you’d like to honor a loved one or commemorate a special date, please consider being a part of our Garden of Remembrance,” Shrine Rector the R...
A neighborhood store...
Walking my dog, Antonio Michelangelo Martello, has proven to be an enlightening experience. As we casually stroll through beautifully preserved Pullman. I not only have the opportunity to visit with any Pullmanites we see. I also get to take note of the changes made to Pullman’s original architecture. Since 1907, all of the residences in Pullman ha...
Mazzini-Verdi Club looking forward to reopening
It’s been a long, eerily quiet year at the Mazzini-Verdi Club in Franklin Park. The once-bustling facility at 9230 W. Belmont Ave. has been shuttered since March 2020 because of the pandemic, and club leaders and members are looking forward to returning to business as usual. “The club is like a second home to us, and we deeply miss gathering there,...
Massillon Museum to exhibit ‘Andrea Palagiano: Self Conscious’
The Massillon Museum, 121 Lincoln Way E, will exhibit “Andrea Palagiano: Self Conscious” in Studio M from April 3-25. The exhibition reflects the relationship between introversion and projected self and the balance between personal identity and societal expectations. Palagiano, a Northeast Ohio artist, received a bachelor’s of fine arts in 2020 wit...
Community rallies around Casa Italia
Casa Italia will be ready to hit the ground running once restrictions are lifted thanks to the generosity of the Italian-American community. The Calabresi in America Organization got the ball rolling with a $100,000 donation to fund a host of improvements. Among them are new emergency and exit lighting throughout the property, new boilers in the Co...
New JCCIA leadership hits the ground running at 1st meeting
The Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans came roaring out of the gate at its first official meeting following the January installation of its 2021-22 officers.Recently elected President Ron Onesti and a burgeoning cadre of JCCIA leaders have the organization hitting on all cylinders as they upshift into their two-year terms. The meeting was h...
Feeling Italian
April 11 @ 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm EDT. “Feeling Italian” is a photographic project and book that uses images to explore the multicultural identities and global citizenship. 89 pictures selected from an international Jury, together with personal stories and narratives (In Italian and English) show the complexity of the Italian identity in today’s global...
Chicago Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii finds new way to reach churchgoers
One year ago, the rector of the shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii was looking at empty pews after COVID-19 restrictions took effect in Chicago. The shutdown was a crisis for many churches, and for the 100-year-old shrine in Little Italy, it could have spelled disaster. They relied on contributions to the collection plate to keep the church going. "We j...