Italian American Journal Giornale Italo Americano - GIA

SESTA PARATA ANNUALE DEL COLUMBUS
DAY DI HOWARD BEACH, QUEENS, NY
Nella foto: il Giudice Augusto Agotti, il District Leader Frank Gulluscio, il Cav. Mitchell Weiss, la
District Leader Joann Shapiro, HBCDF il Vice Presidente Grace Faulisi, il Cav. Josephine Maietta,
HBCF il Presidente Mario Faulisi, l’Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder, il Guidice George Grasso e la
consorte Regina, il NYPD Sgt. Anthony Cesarano, il NYPD Inspector John Corbisiero e l’Editore
del GIA James Lisa. Foto di Vito Catalano.
Nella foto: gli alunni della scuola PS 207 di Howard Beach, NY con le famiglie e gli amici alla
Howard Beach Columbus Day Parade. Foto di Vito Catalano.
PROGRAMMA “CIAO ITALIA” DELLA WRHU
ALLA HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY
La famosa annunciatrice della WRHU (Hofstra University) 88.7fm "Souvenir d'Italia” Giovanna
Auriemma insieme a Nino Magarelli di “Ciao Italia” sempre della WRHU con la moglie Rosa,
braccio destro e supporto tecnico durante i programmi radio; il ben noto cantante Filippo
Voltaggio, applauditissimo dai presenti per la sua meravigliosa voce e il cantante Alfio, molto
conosciuto e apprezzato dagli Italo-Americani, durante una pausa del Festival Italiano nel campus
universitario.
2
As a somber service
took place at the 9/11 Memorial
in downtown Manhattan thousands
of Italian-Americans gathered
in celebration of Ferragosto,
a festival on Arthur Avenue in
the Bronx.
Ferragosto, which coincided
with the 10th anniversary
of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks,
also served as a 100th birthday
party for the family-owned businesses
in this historic, Italian
neighborhood.
“I don’t think it’s an
accident that it happened to be
this day. I think there’s a reason.
We’re all celebrating life, our
heritage and one ethnicity today-
American,” said Chicagoan Ron
Onesti, who travels to Ferragosto
with his family every year.
The ancient festival
traditionally marks the end of
harvest season in Italy, and so for
more than 15 years Arthur Avenue
has celebrated its immigrant
culture with lively Italian music,
wine drinking and pig roasting.
However, it was still a time of
reflection for many native New
Yorkers.
“My cousin, who was
a fireman in Manhattan, had his
shift on 9/11 switched. The man
who switched with him died.
Those things that happen
you just never forget,” said
David Greco, owner of Mike’s
Deli in the Arthur Avenue Retail
Market.
Surrounded by hanging
meats and mounds of parmesan
cheese Greco discussed the deli’s
history. His father immigrated
to America from Calabria, Italy,
and started the family business
in the 1950s. Greco, who has
lived in the Bronx his entire life,
seemed to remember 9/11 as if it
had occurred only yesterday.
“When it happened I
was in the food business, and
9/11STORY
there was a lot of food being sent
from all over. I think that what
happened 10 years ago made us
more powerful. The Italian community
will always support Sept.
11,” Greco said.
While there was reflection
and commemoration, there
was also a strong sense of merriment.
Outside the streets were
filled with high spirits as people
lingered around vendors selling
spicy sausages and sweet cannolis.
Older Italians conversed
in their native language, while
children chased one another
between tents selling breads, oils
and olives.
“There’s just a great
sense of gathering here,” said
John Riley, principle of Our
Lady of Mount Carmel School in
the Bronx.
Riley spent his childhood
surrounded by Italian
culture. He remembers shopping
on Arthur Avenue when he was
young and noted the strong sense
of family that has consistently
been present in the area.
“Ferragosto is a moment
of solidarity for the people in the
community to come together in
the spirit of diversity. A mosaic
of diversity is something that
we’re trying to create in our
school so as to allow people to
understand that despite differences,
there is a wholeness to
humanity.”
Joanne Marano, a firstgrade
teacher at the school, has
lived in the community most of
her life.
“I’m in awe that today
is Sept. 11 and everyone is out
and enjoying the freedoms that
we have. The diversity in the
neighborhood speaks volumes.”
Ferragosto occurs annually
around the beginning of
September. For more information
visit www.ferragosto.com.