Chicago Park District to loan Columbus statue to Italian American group for museum, end lawsuit
The Chicago Park District has reached a deal to end a lawsuit over the removal of Chicago's Christopher Columbus statues. The City of Chicago, which owns the statues, will not be bringing the statues back to their former sites in Grant Park and Arrigo Park. But the city will loan the statue that was removed from Arrigo Park, at Polk and Loomis stre...
I-A Literati to spotlight local writers
“I-A Literati 2025,” Casa Italia’s 21st annual celebration of local Italian-American authors, will run from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 17 in the Florentine Room of the Italian Cultural Center at Casa Italia. The event will begin with a meet-and-greet with the writers, followed by the keynote address and presentations. Additional activities include...
Valenti a pro bono attorney without borders
Over the last two decades, Thomas P. Valenti has put his arbitration and mediation skills to use across the globe, traveling to places like Greece and India, and now helping young people in Afghanistan via online mentoring. Valenti is a Chicago-based dispute resolution specialist who has held a law license since 1977. He first worked as a trial att...
A month to remember
May has always been a special month for St. Anthony graduates. I recall when I began writing Petals from Roseland many years ago that my May column struck a chord. The column brought back food memories for many St .Anthony’s parishioners so I’m rerunning it here today. I asked a few St Anthony’s girls for their memories of the May crowning and all...
Director General for Italians Abroad, Luigi Maria Vignali, Presents “Italea” in Detroit at an Exclusive Dinner Hosted by the Italian Consulate
The Italian Consulate in Detroit, under the leadership of Consul Allegra Baistrocchi, recently hosted a memorable evening dedicated to “Roots Tourism,” an initiative spearheaded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The event featured Luigi Maria Vignali, Director General for Italians Abroad, who introduced the innovative “Italea” program to...
Italian American Culture in Ashtabula, Ohio, by Nick McClure
Italian-Americans have lived in my hometown of Ashtabula, Ohio, for well over a hundred years. In that time they have become an integral part of the community’s culture, economy, and history. Many of the immigrants that came directly from Italy throughout the 20th century were able to find steady work in one of the area’s numerous factories, allowi...
American Italian Cultural Society: You Won't Recognize This Building
The American Italian Cultural Society is best known for its monthly spaghetti dinners and for throwing one of the Joliet area's biggest weekend summer festivals every August. But now there's even more news to share. In recent weeks, the Italian club underwent its most extensive remodeling project since it opened back in 1988. The new bar and new...
Suburban woman celebrates 107th birthday, shares secrets to longevity
A suburban woman is marking a milestone many of us may never reach: 107 years old. Nancy Rossi, born April 10, 1918, in Chicago, has lived through two world wars, the Spanish flu, and 19 different U.S. presidents. But it’s her passion for dancing that she credits with keeping her youthful. "When I hear music, my feet does not stay still. I think da...
From nothing, something: History Museum chronicles Italian immigrants in South Bend area
The history of Italian Americans in St. Joseph County reaches back to the early 1900s, when 27 people settled in the area for a new life and work. By the 1930s, that number had expanded to the thousands. Through May 4, the exhibit Traditions and Progress: Italian Americans in Northern Indiana at The History Museum tells these immigrants' and their...
Army Sergeant Mark Evangelista
The middle of five children, Mark Evangelista was born in Wheaton, Illinois, to Mark and Suzanne Logan Evangelista. His great-grandparents emigrated from the Abruzzo region. Evangelista grew up close to his large extended family. “We were always by family,” he says. “Sundays were either at our house, Grandma’s or my aunt’s house.” His aunt and gran...
"The Italians of Akron and Summit County, Our Roots, Our Challenges, Our Triumph"
The story of Italian families immigrating to various cities in Northeast Ohio starting in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s has been documented in books and newspapers for many years. One city that remained unexplored was the Akron and Summit County area. Now, there is a new book published by John Vallillo and available to order on the Amazon and Ba...
Ancient Signs, Contemporary Visions: Arvedo Arvedi Talks About His New Exhibition in Chicago
From June 18 to 30, Arvedo Arvedi will return to Chicago for his solo exhibition “LINGUAGGI DIVERSI – Antiche Memorie” (Different Languages – Ancient Memories), hosted by the Mooney Foundation. This is a return to his artistic roots in a city he calls “my artistic home,” where, thirty years ago, he began his international career alongside John Davi...