Dear friends,
Even in this July 2025 editorial, I’m thrilled to share lots of exciting news with you. First up, our cover story, something big is coming to Atlanta, Georgia, this September. We the Italians, through our 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Italia America Reputation Lab (IARL), is proud to partner in the first-ever Made in Italy Expo in the “Big Peach.” The event is being organized by the unstoppable Nicola Vidali, Managing Director of the Georgia Chapter of the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce Southeast, our partner at IARL and We the Italians Ambassador to Georgia.
Starting with this July, we’ll feature three articles highlighting this important new event, which brings the excellence of Made in Italy to one of the most vibrant, fast-growing regions of the United States. I’ll be there on Monday, September 22, participating in one of the panels, flying in straight from Chicago.
So, what’s happening in Chicago? From September 19 to 21, the Windy City will host the very first We the Italians U.S. Ambassadors Convention! Thanks to my friend and our Illinois Ambassador, Ron Onesti, we’ve finalized a great program. We’ll explore the city, network, and share updates on We the Italians initiatives and the amazing work our Ambassadors are doing across the country. We’re even planning a surprise for Sunday morning, September 21. It’s going to be a lot of fun!
But before all that, We the Italians will kick off September back in Italy—specifically in Vicenza, Veneto. There, we are partners of the Italia America Friendship Festival, and on Saturday, September 13, I’ll be honored to share stories of innovation, resilience, adaptability, and ingenuity from the Italian American experience: tales of people who climbed the ladder of success through the powerful blend of Italian DNA and the opportunity-rich, business-friendly environment of the United States. Truly a match made in heaven.
Looking back to late June, I had the pleasure of attending a screening of Larry Foley’s compelling documentary, Cries from the Cotton Fields, at the University of Arkansas Rome Center. It’s an extraordinary film that explores a lesser-known chapter of migration, one with both similarities and striking differences from the more familiar Northeast Italian American narrative. It’s a powerful and insightful story that deserves to be widely seen.
As part of the new direction for We the Italians, we want to include our audience more than ever. We’re launching a new video project aimed at giving a voice and face to Italian stories, emotions, and places across the United States. With your help, we’re creating a series of short videos that tell the story of Italian America—through your eyes, from your community. One great example has already been shared by our Columbus, Ohio Ambassador, Rich Leto. You can check it out here.
These videos will be featured on our Facebook page, which gets 5.5 million views each month, and the best ones will be selected for our exclusive Meta Subscription program. They’ll also be posted on our Instagram and TikTok channels, helping us build a more authentic and engaging social media presence while giving visibility to you and your content.
Want to make a video? Here are a few quick tips:
- Use your phone in vertical (Reel) format
- Aim for 30 to 60 seconds
- Make sure your face is well-lit with natural light (no backlighting)
- Choose a quiet place and avoid loud background noise
- Be yourself, smile, and have fun!
You can focus on one (or more!) of the following topics:
- Italian festivals or events
- Local Italian landmarks or businesses
- “Sauce or Gravy?”
This will be a playful look at the heart of Italian American culture. Once your video is ready, you can send it to us via email or Messenger.
Our magazine keeps growing—and starting this month, we’re adding two new columns! The first, Italian Sustainability, highlights how Italian excellence is contributing to a greener, more sustainable future. This month, we’re covering Italy’s roadmap to meet the 2030 Green Homes Directive targets.
The second, Italian Curiosities, launches with… a bang!. Did you know the combustion engine was invented in Lucca, Tuscany?
If all goes well, by the end of July we’ll finally be launching our brand-new website: faster, better, and more dynamic. It’s been a huge job (we’ve got almost 90,000 pieces of content!), but we’re nearly there, and we’re preparing lots of exciting new features.
Our incredible team of Ambassadors keeps growing, and this month we’re welcoming three new members.
Maria Fosco is our new Ambassador in Manhattan, New York. Maria began working in the Italian American community as a teenager, earned a degree in International Affairs from Hunter College, and joined the Calandra Italian American Institute/CUNY in 1986. She testified in the landmark Scelsa v. CUNY civil rights case, which officially recognized Italian Americans as a protected group. A founding member and current Vice President and Trustee of the Italian American Museum, Maria has received both the Cavaliere and Ufficiale honors from the Republic of Italy. She currently serves as Director of Administration and Special Programs at Queens College and sits on several Italian American boards.
Mike Daigle is our new Ambassador in New Hampshire. Mike is the President of Friends of Italian Americans, a nonprofit promoting Italian American heritage, history, and culture while advocating for all immigrant communities in the U.S. He holds a B.S. in Accounting and an M.B.A. in Entrepreneurship. Mike lives in Portsmouth, NH, with his wife of over 45 years. They have three daughters and six grandchildren.
We’re also adding a new thematic Ambassador! Marco Gianni is now our Ambassador for Luxury. Marco is Managing Partner Italy at Équité Brands, a strategic consultancy for the luxury sector, and co-founder of The Italian Mind, a cultural and business platform dedicated to the evolution of Made in Italy. A specialist in symbolic positioning, post-identity economic models, and reputational capital, Marco works with top brands and institutions to create value through systems thinking and storytelling innovation. With a global and unconventional perspective, he’s helping redefine how Italian luxury is communicated, developed, and experienced around the world.
And it doesn’t stop there! That’s why we ask you to subscribe to We the Italians.
It’s all for now. Please stay safe and take care, and enjoy our magazine and our contents on our website. Stay safe and take care: the future’s so bright, we gotta wear tricolor shades! A big Italian hug from Rome.
