In brief. Curated news of the diaspora from around the globe.
Disclaimer: These links are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by Pummarola. Pummarola bears no responsibility for the accuracy, legality or content of the external site or for that of subsequent links.
March 13, 2022
SOCIAL JUSTICE
Explore and Learn: The Cross Cultural Solidarity History Project and Examples of White Anti-Racism in U.S. History. More
NEWS - DOMESTIC
Advocates Seek Tombstone for Murdered Labor Activist Pete Panto was killed in 1939 for his advocacy on the Brooklyn waterfront and buried in an unmarked grave. The Calandra Institute is fundraising for a tombstone. More
NEWS - INTERNATIONAL
A Polish mayor protested Matteo Salvini’s visit to his town, highlighting the contradiction between Salvini’s previous support for the Kremlin and his current proclaimed interest in helping Ukrainians forced to flee Russia’s invasion. More
THE ACADEMY
The 2022 Renaissance Society of America Winners Awardees with Italian areas of research include Laura Ingallinella (“Shut Up Men!”) and Daniel Zolli (“Donatello’s Promiscuous Technique”). More
BOOKS
The Bologna Children’s Book Fair Returns After a two-year pause, the famous fair will return to the streets of Bologna and serve as host to over 1.000 exhibitors, from more than 85 countries and regions. More
NEWS - INTERNATIONAL
Europe’s embrace of Ukrainian refugees is how all refugees and migrants should be treated. Instead, throughout Europe, immigration is discussed as a threat rather than as a basic human right. More
FOOD
The Mythical Tortellini of Castelfranco Emilia: the secret ingredient of this tortellini is the “rezdôre,” the women who roll out the pasta dough. More
ARTS
Healing through Colors: An interview with artist and poet Annie Lanzillotto. More
THE CHURCH
Pressure on Italian Catholic church to reckon with child sexual abuse: Unofficial estimates say country may have the highest number of survivors of sexual abuse by priests in the world. More
CULTURE
The Ferragni sisters already have millions of followers and a reality TV show. Now they’re working on their fashion empires. More
NEWS - INTERNATIONAL
Naples’ Welcoming of the Displaced of Ukraine Testimonies of women and the story of Ciro Verdoliva, manager of the Residence Ospedale del Mare. More
ARTS
50 Years of The Godfather: how the film’s iconic saga bridged gaps between old and new Hollywood. More
LABOR
Labor leader Tony Mazzocchi believed unions could inspire their members to engage in a broader political movement. His Local 149 did just that in the 1950s — in a suburban environment where no one thought it possible. More
TRAVEL
Travel to Ischia: The beautiful, hospitable island is having a moment of popularity. More
February 16, 2022
SOCIAL JUSTICE
Liberation Genealogy: Embracing Rootedness and Radical Genealogy by Aurora Levins Morales. “For people committed to liberation to claim descent from the perpetrators is a renewal of faith in human beings.” More
LAND/ECOLOGY
Italy’s constitution now protects the environment: the state must safeguard the environment, biodiversity and the ecosystem “also in the interest of future generations”. But activists say more must be done. More
INDIGENOUS SOLIDARITY
Meet the Indigenous Activist Who Toppled Minnesota’s Christopher Columbus Statue For Forcia, toppling the Columbus statue wasn’t about the distant past—it was about the way that those changes in Indigenous people’s names and religion continue to reverberate today.” More
DISABILITY
Love Is Blind: Interview with Tony Cancelosi, the chief executive officer of Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind in Washington, D.C. More
FOOD
An African immigrant’s pizza wins global raves — and overcomes Italian prejudices. Ibrahim Songne’s IBRIS is one of the top 50 pizza places in the world. More
COVID-19
Covid’s New Divide in Italy: Risk Takers vs the Risk Averse. In Italy, with its high vaccination rate, the social schism revolves less around who’s gotten a shot, and more around lifestyles and comfort levels of living with the virus. More
REPARATIONS
Bruce’s Beach to be returned to Black family 100 years after city ‘used the law to steal it’. More
ARTS
Staging Injustice: Italian Art 1880-1917, Jan 25-Jun 18, 2022. The NYC-based Center for Italian Modern Art (CIMA) presents an exhibition of artworks from Italian museums and private collections that incorporate iconography related to migration, labor, protest and social injustice of the period. More
SOCIAL JUSTICE
White Anti-Racists have Ancestors: how their stories can help strengthen white anti-racist organizing today. More
January 28, 2022
BOOKS
The Salernitan Rule of Health is a medieval didactic poem in hexameter verse, believed to have been written in the 12th or 13th century. This poem concerns domestic medical practice such as daily hygienic procedures and diet. More
HISTORY
Return of Stolen Artifacts: In Challenge to Britain, Italy Lends Parthenon Marbles Fragment to Greece with the Aim of ‘Indefinite Return’. More
HISTORY
Scientists hope to unravel mystery of Sicily’s child mummies Remains of some of the 163 children at Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo to be examined using X-ray. More
INTERNET CULTURE
Fanpage: the Italian website that went from gossip to award-winning scoops. What started as a Facebook page is now an investigative news operation with millions of readers a day. More
ARTS
An Interview with Fred Gardaphé: “Italianità for me is taking what is good and healthy from Italian culture and applying it to my life.” More
MIGRATION
Solidarity with migrants at the confines of Italy. Locals at a bar weigh-in about migrants seeking refuge at Italy’s northern border. More
FOOD
Mortadella, one of the queens of deli meats. Bon Appetit gives us a brief history and overview. More
BOOKS
Who is Elena Ferrante? There are some clues, but we may never know. More
HISTORY
In Praise of the Dancing Body by Silvia Federici. “The history of the body is the history of human beings, for there is no cultural practice that is not first applied to the body.” More
CITIES
Milan confirms ambitious new cycling network linking 80% of the city to bike paths The Cambio project features 750 kilometres of bike paths and is due to completed by 2035. More
INDIGENOUS SOLIDARITY
Land Back: a Yellowhead Institute Red Paper. This paper is about how Canada dispossesses Indigenous peoples from the land, and, in turn, what communities are doing to get it back. More
ARTS
By Her Hand: Artemisia Gentileschi and Women Artists of Italy, 1500–1800. Detroit art exhibit shows how women artists played a vibrant and often untold role in Italy from the 1600s on. More
FASCISM
Swastika-covered coffin and Nazi salutes at church funeral in Rome. Catholic and Jewish leaders condemn use of Nazi flag at funeral outside a church in Rome. More
LAND/ECOLOGY
Deb Soule – an herbalist and educator of Italian decent, describes starting a healing herb garden and shares about seven easy to grow herbs for people who wish to start a medicinal herb garden or who wish to expand their herb garden. More
December 31, 2021
THE ACADEMY
50% Italian universities sign on to the Inclusive University Manifesto, which is spearheaded by the UN. More
ARTS
Art 1880-1917. In January, the NYC-based Center for Italian Modern Art will be showcasing Italian artistic production during the decades between 1880 and the end of World War I. More
ARTS
Portrait of the Artist. Sorrentino’s new film is a coming of age story that deals with adolescent grief and evolving ambitions. More
BOOKS
The Italian Legacy in Philadelphia: A new book explores centuries of cultural influence on the city. More
IN MEMORIAM
RIP to Grace Mirabella. The former head of Vogue, she expanded the fashion magazine into art, fitness, health, and beauty. More
IN MEMORIAM
bell hooks, the legendary Black feminist writer and scholar, has passed away at 69. Her pathbreaking works explored the links between systems of oppression such as white supremacy, patriarchy, and capitalism, and inspired generations of feminists. More
ARTS
Memphis design is in. Sottsass-inspired designs are back in vogue, and taking over Instagram. More
NEWS — INTERNATIONAL
Chile is drafting a new Constitution to replace the one imposed by the former military dictator, Augusto Pinochet. It will do so in a country now led by social democrat Gabriel Boric. More
IMMIGRATION
Italy’s citizenship debate. How a country of emigrants is learning to live with immigrants. More
LABOR
Will workers be flexing their muscles to improve their wages and working conditions in 2022? Workers are already sensing their increased leverage in a tight labor market. More
ARTS
The Lost Daughter: The Ferrante novel has been adapted into a new film featuring Olivia Colman and Dakota Johnson and directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal. Now on Netflix. More
December 16, 2021
ARTS
A new generation of Italian-American art. “FooGayZee”, a bold exhibit by John Avelluto, is showing in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. More
NEWS — DOMESTIC
Want to be a criminal? Stealing billions is your best bet to go scot-free. While shoplifting crimes are attracting front-page news, $15 billion stolen from workers by corporations such as Walgreens receive no coverage at all. More
INDIGENOUS NEWS
Cheyenne history wins prize: Leo Killsback, professor, author, and citizen of the Northern Cheyenne Nation, won the Western History Association’s 2021 Donald Fixico Book Award for his two-volume history. More
NEWS — INTERNATIONAL
Time to break up Amazon. The tech giant has been fined $1.28 by Italian antitrust regulators. More
SPORTS
Capitalism, racism, organized crime and boxing. Powerful review of George Horne’s new book, “The Bittersweet Science: Racism, Racketeering, and the Political Economy of Boxing. More
November 29, 2021
NEWS — DOMESTIC
Former New York Italian-American Affairs Director Out. So the NY State position as community liaison is now open! More
ARTS
Becoming part of the House of Gucci. How Lady Gaga brought lived experiences of violence and trauma into her portrayal of Patrizia Reggiani. More
BLACK AMERICAN NEWS
For Here to Equality Wins Prize The popular book on Reparations by the husband-wife duo Darity and Mullen receives the American Book Fest Social Change award. More
ARTS
Like father, like son: An exhibition of two artists, father and son, at the Museo Italo Americano. More
THE ACADEMY
Exploring Tales of the Dictatorship Discussion of anti-fascist Italian writer Leonardo Sciascia’s penetrating 1950 work. More
ENVIRONMENT
Saving trees from killer sidewalks Arborist Scott Carlini fights to save healthy trees in his home town of Elmwood Park, Illinois. More
INDIGENOUS NEWS
White House Indigenous Summit: White House to host first summit of tribal nations since 2016. More
NEWS — INTERNATIONAL
Violence against women In Italy Violence against women – and children – persists in Italy, alongside a dearth of shelters. More
ARTS
A next generation of Italian fashion. Young creatives are infusing traditional techniques with new style. More
LGBTQ+
Localizing queer identity. An academic exploration of different forms of “queer” in the Italian context. More
INDIGENOUS NEWS
The Wampanoag people are still here. 400 years after the Pilgrims, Thanksgiving remains a day of mourning for genocide and centuries of colonial violence. More
NEWS — DOMESTIC
Phil Saviano Dies at 69 The Catholic clergy abuse victim was a trailblazer for survivors’ rights. More
CULTURE
Southern Italian spiritual and healing traditions: The way of Benedicaria. More
ARTS
Get to know Frank D’Rone A chronological retrospective on the best jazz performer you’ve never heard of. More
BLACK AMERICAN NEWS
For Black Americans, local parity strategies Exploring strategies to increase equity and justice on a local level. More
ARTS
Conference on December 9th: Presentation of Gianfranco Baruchello’s Psicoenciclopedia Possibile. More
November 12, 2021
NEWS — DOMESTIC
“Rust” shooting. IATSE union member Cathy Scorsese says fatal shooting on the set of “Rust” was preventable: “I work in set props and am the daughter of Martin Scorsese. The way movies are made now is broken.” More
FOOD
Home for launch. Cleveland native Angie Rito of Don Angie Restaurant in New York to hold signings for new cookbook at family bakery in Brunswick and Ohio City Provisions. More
NEWS — INTERNATIONAL
Brazil’s Bolsonaro met with protests in Italy visit. Right-wing leader jeered by protesters denouncing dictatorial policies and environmental destruction in the Amazon. More
ARTS
Brevitas poetry reading. The official launch of Brevitas 18 : Anthology of the Short Poem. How could Breve resist celebrating Brevitas? More
ARTS
Lauding Lanza. A Mario Lanza birth centenary celebration at the Lanza Museum in Philadelphia takes place on Nov 20-21. More
THE ACADEMY
Coming conference. Italian American Studies Association conference focuses on race, gender, and sexual orientation. More
NEWS — DOMESTIC
Local honors. New Jersey Italian American locals honored for contributions to community. More
ENVIRONMENT
Ending Overseas Financing for Fossil Fuels. Italy has reversed its position and signed on to a deal at COP26 to curb funding for fossil fuel projects abroad. More
COLUMBUS WATCH
The Right among us. Fox claims Columbus attacks increased Republican turnout. More
INDIGENOUS NEWS
Claiming Native power. Indigenous voters turn out on election day. More
NEWS — INTERNATIONAL
In Italy, a grim reversal. COVID on rise in Trieste. More
ARTS
Pat Martino dies. The jazz guitarist who overcame amnesia lived to age 77. More
TRAVEL
Sicily, always. Why Sicily is a year-round destination. More
BLACK AMERICAN NEWS
Young, Black, and Influential. The Root announces “The Root 100 2021” list of young Black influencers. More
FOOD
Recreate foods of Ancient Rome. Online classes through Atlas Obscura explore cuisines of Ancient Rome, Mesopotamia, and the Mediterranean Middle Ages. More
HISTORY
Food is politics. A new paper explores the biopolitics of food in migration, 1930-1940. More
NEWS — DOMESTIC
We are not The Mob. A commentary of anti-Italian tropes in Connecticut insurance ads. More
NEWS — INTERNATIONAL
Italy’s struggle with LGBTQ rights. Italian senate approves law banning sexist and discriminatory advertisements. More
FEMINISM
The growing right-wing backlash to the concept of “gender.” Judith Butler writes about the complex, authoritarian, racist, and xenophobic dimensions of anti-feminist backlash. More
NEWS — INTERNATIONAL
Ethiopian Civil War. Written by historian Kim Searcy, this presents a clear, detailed, and eminently readable history of the ongoing Ethiopian Civil War. More
BOOKS
Italy Is Out. The launch of the book-length photo essay is the subject of a conversation between its photographer and editor on November 10 – livestream from Scotland 1:30pm EDT. More
ARTS
Dante 360. Tickets are $25-$30 for this presentation at Chicago’s Athenaeum Center on Dante’s Divine Comedy by art historian Elizabeth Lev and featuring vocal ensemble Schola Antiqua. More
October 28, 2021
NEWS — INTERNATIONAL
Italy balks at protections against homophobia. A vote against homophobia fails in Italy. More
REPARATIONS
Darity and Mullen launch podcast. The husband-wife reparations scholars partner with Duke University to premiere Arc of Justice. More
THE ACADEMY
Atsa no more? A study of the vanishing American English as adapted by Italians. More
ARTS
An Italian Art Haven along the Hudson. Avoiding stereotypes and illuminating Italian talent for Americans. More
HISTORY
On the varieties of Italian American whiteness. How regions of the U.S. shaped the contours of whiteness experienced–and achieved–by Italian Americans. More
October 12, 2021
BOOKS
Intersecting diasporas. A new volume explores Italian Americans and allyship in U.S. fiction. More
IMMIGRATION
Forgotten Italian Immigrants. Silvia Secchi talks about being…”caught between two generations and two homes…an immigrant in a world that does not want to remember.” More
SPORTS
Olympic Gold. Lamont Marcell Jacobs, a mixed-race Italian athlete, emerges as the world’s top sprinter, with two gold medals. More
DOMESTIC NEWS
Italian-American men in NY are denouncing Cuomo for saying that creepy behavior and sexual harassment are cultural. Read, then come back to Pummarola versus giving more clicks to the Post 🙂 More
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Allyship beyond the news cycle: African American author who lives in Rome asks whether white Italians will continue to carry the torch for marginalized folks after the Olympics. More
ARTS
Italian-American artists. Virtual exhibit by 54 artists shows creative diversity that exists within the Italian American community. More
DOMESTIC NEWS
Texas and abortion rights. Mary Ann Sorrentino, head of Planned Parenthood in Rhode Island, talks about needing to defend abortion rights that seemingly had already been won. More
COVID-19
Having to Teach Without Masks and Vaccine Mandates. An interview with an Italian professor who teaches climate change and environmental economics at the University of Iowa, a state where COVID-19 protections by the state are lacking. More
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Dispatches from Tigray. An estimated 2.2 million people have been forced from their homes and thousands have been killed in the civil war that broke out in Ethiopia last November. More
ARTS
Time to Tarantella! An online workshop with Alessandra Belloni about the rich history and moves of the iconic dance. More
Previous
June 22, 2021
BOOKS
The school of Gramsci. A new volume explores pedagogies in capitalist society and how the thinker’s views illuminate them. More
REPARATIONS
Friday Jones picked for LA Reparations Commission. The Co-chair of the National Assembly of Slavery Descendants is an outspoken figure in the movement. More
HISTORY
Environments of Italianness. Cambridge University Press devotes an entire issue of Modern Italy to Italian mobility. More
INDIGENOUS NEWS
New Jersey reverses course . School district restores holiday names after protest; Columbus Day’s fate unclear. More
DOMESTIC NEWS
An Italian American Festival reawakens. Southington Italian American fest returns, in modest form. More
ARTS
Renaissance ranking. An interpretation of the most iconic artists of the Italian Renaissance, from Masaccio to Titian. More
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
The dream of Italy, betrayed. Tunisians have their ‘Italian dream’ broken after they arrive. More
COLUMBUS WATCH
Columbus Commentary: Choosing Columbus over Critical Race Theory is not good schooling. More
ARTS
New life for old music. Italian TV composers revived via sampling. More
COLUMBUS WATCH
A school redeemed. New Haven’ Columbus Academy renamed “Family Academy of Multilingual Exploration” More
INDIGENOUS NEWS
Strides in Nevada. Strong gains in Nevada for Indigenous Peoples. More
BOOKS
Becoming Calvino. A newly translated, early set of stories from the master. More
ARTS
Pompeii in the Plains. Oklahoma City museum unique venue for landmark exhibit on Pompeii frescoes. More
THE ACADEMY
What Kind of Islamophobia? Representation of Muslims and Islam in Italian and Spanish media. More
FOOD
Recipes are sacred; are they sacrosanct? Wading into one of the most volatile of topics for Italians: Can I play with the recipe? More
DOMESTIC NEWS
Italian American Bar promotion. Elmhurst’s Frank Sommario sworn in as Executive VP of National Italian American Bar Association. More
REPARATIONS
Juneteenth article on Reparations. Scholars and advocates Mullen and Darity explain Reparations in Rolling Stone. More
DOMESTIC NEWS
Museum founder Knighted. Marianna Gatto, founder of the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles, was knighted by the Italian Consul General. More
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
A bid to grow the Italian family . Using government aid to combat an aging population trend. More
THE ACADEMY
The Marshall plan for libraries. American books at the University of Florence from the postwar period to the Sixties. More
FOOD
Centro command. Inside the New Jersey home of one of the most recognizable of Italian American food brands. More
BOOKS
Radical cinema. A new book explores the left wing foundation of Italian cinema. More
HISTORY
Italian diaspora. Italian immigration in the uplands of southern Brazil. More
June 17, 2021
BOOKS
Elena Ferrante as World Literature. Stiliana Milkova’s recently released $120 book, which pursues the mysterious author’s central themes, is available now via the publisher and in libraries everywhere. More
HISTORY
When it was a crime to be Italian in America. The obscure history of Italian internment in America. More
FOOD
A canning crisis. A lack of steel sheeting may impact the Italian canned tomato industry. More
THE ACADEMY
Living with history. Adapting Italy’s past to a Green future. More
COLUMBUS WATCH
Colonizers fall. Colombia removes statues of Columbus and Spanish queen after attacks. More
COLUMBUS WATCH
Took their calendar and went home. A New Jersey school district wipes all references to holidays, rather than including Indigenous Peoples’ Day . More
POLITICS — DOMESTIC
Italian of the Valley. Restaurant owner Dewey Guida receives Italian American of the Upper Ohio Valley Award. More
ARTS
Ripples from Kennesaw. Congratulations to Federica Santini, professor of Italian and Interdisciplinary Studies at Kennesaw State University, for the publication of her poem “The Island” in Constellate Magazine. More
REPARATIONS
California Reparations. ETM Media Group shares details about the Calif. Reparations bill in this podcast. More
POLITICS — INTERNATIONAL
Italian job. Workers for a TV broadcaster in Italy replace valuable works of art with fakes, perhaps over the course of years. More
REPARATIONS
Actify Press on HR 40. A broadcast examining the proposed Reparations legislation in the context of midterm elections. More
POLITICS — INTERNATIONAL
Punishment, and the question of limits. Giovanni Brusca could not be kept in prison forever – should anyone? More
THE ACADEMY
Bacchus among the Blackshirts. Brian J. Griffith writes about wine making, consumerism and identity in Fascist Italy. More
BOOKS
Fox and Chick return. The beloved storybook duo by Sergio Ruzzier have a sleepover. More
THE ACADEMY
Italian manliness in the U.S. The musings and analysis of a Finnish scholar on Italian American masculinity. More
INDIGENOUS NEWS
A new casting in Hollywood. Indigenous artist Nicholas Galanin recreates the Hollywood sign with a twist. More
BOOKS
One murky chapter in Milan’s past. An in-depth investigation into the art, politics, and murderous cynicism of Renaissance Milan. More
ARTS
Big Brother, art critic. In Bologna’s Civic Museum, AI decides popularity of art by the look on your face. More
INDIGENOUS NEWS
Fostering Indigenous languages in school. Ojibwe language classes offered in school district in Ontario. More
ARTS
A display of energetic art. Adirondack artist and educator Maria DeAngelo exhibits at the American Italian Heritage Museum More
COLUMBUS WATCH
All racial hatred is entwined. Critical Race Theory protest links Columbus, restrictions on anti-racism curriculum. More
POLITICS — DOMESTIC
Americans eyeing Italian citizenship. A growing interest in the U.S. in the path to Italian citizenship for some Italian Americans. More
HISTORY
Covello’s table. Simone Cinotto examines Leonard Covello’s notes on the eating habits of Italian immigrants in New York. More
POLITICS — INTERNATIONAL
Alitalia reboot delay fallout. Budget airlines snatching up routes. More
June 14, 2021
POLITICS — DOMESTIC
Yang’s scandalous slice. Is he really trying to be mayor of NYC with THAT choice of pizza? More
BOOKS
For the love of booze. A new book celebrates the history of The Negroni, a classic cocktail. More
FOOD
Masters of the fuel of life. A grocery store list reveals our matchless skill with the delicious and the sustaining. More
INDIGENOUS NEWS
IPD in Holyoke. The Holyoke, Mass. school system joins the national switch from Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day. More
POLITICS — INTERNATIONAL
A reason for Italians to cheer. A winning performance at the opening match of Euro 2020. More
REPARATIONS
Darity and Mullen, international. The husband-wife reparations scholars tell Economist readers why direct payments are crucial. More
THE ACADEMY
Considering the piazza. A cultural analysis of three in Bolzano More
FOOD
In praise of tripe. The sometimes maligned, sometimes fashionable, always delicious gift of the bovine makes yet another comeback. More
COLUMBUS WATCH
The doting deputy. U.S. rep. to Italian Chamber of Deputies gushes over Columbus, calls NYC Columbus Day Parade “the most important parade in the world.” More
INDIGENOUS NEWS
In or out? Confusion in Portsmouth, N.H. over Indigenous Peoples’ Day vote. More
POLITICS — INTERNATIONAL
Italy: AstraZeneca halted for those under 60. Risk judged to be outweighed by drop in rate of infection. More
ARTS
A Telly for the Italians. PBS doc on the Hill in St. Louis gets a nod. More
BOOKS
Remembering Viscusi. Eleven scholars remember the recently deceased, beloved poet and intellectual in this new volume. More
ARTS
Loving Luca. Navigating secret identities, technical obstacles, and inclusion. More
REPARATIONS
Fear of a Black theory. What the hysteria about Critical Race Theory is really about. More
THE ACADEMY
COVID, Italy, and food. How the lockdown affected Italian food culture. More
HISTORY
When Italians were the enemy. A story of the internment of Italians in America. More
COLUMBUS WATCH
Columbus at CUNY? Angelo Vivolo, Columbus fanatic, is selected by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to sit on the CUNY Board of Trustees. More
HISTORY
A little sandwich shop tells our story. As it’s honored in Chicago, J.P. Graziano tells the story of our success in the U.S. More
FOOD
Sting’s new foundation to fight for Italian restaurants. More