As the editor of an Italian American newspaper, I am privileged to
support and promote Italian activities in New England. The Post
Gazette started in 1896 as La Gazetta del Massachusetts published in
Italian by my grandparents. The newspaper was a vehicle for Italians
to connect to the “old country” while assimilating to the new
country. Our focus was mostly in the North End of Boston and East
Boston as these two vibrant communities were predominately Italian
at the turn of the century.
As years passed and my family continued the
tradition of La Gazetta, the paper changed its name to the Post
Gazette. As I became editor I had the distinct pleasure of
connecting the Italian community in our English language paper. I
also had the privilege of getting to know the various communities in
Massachusetts and take part in their Italian American events such as
Italia Unita’s Annual Italian Festival and The Feast of Three Saints
in Lawrence, Massachusetts. As you know, the North End is fortunate
to host many religious feasts that have been going on for many years
and have not lost the tradition.
However, what really stands out for me is the Italia Unita Feast in
East Boston and the Feast of Three Saints, in Lawrence. These two
organizations organize a 100% Italian festival in an area that is
not 100% Italian anymore.
Whenever I visit Italia Unita’s Festival I see
many faces that I recognize and those that I do not. To me it
represents a community that is proud of their Italian culture yet a
welcoming force to the many newcomers who have moved into Boston.
Both festivals to me are reunions for those who have moved and for
those who have stayed.
It was disturbing for me to read in Boston Globe’s piece “East
Boston festival takes a break” by Meghan Irons that the East Boston
Foundation, a trust set up to support community organizations
declared the Italian Festival as “no longer a benefit to the
businesses in the community … and that hardly any of them reflect
the Hispanic flavor of the largely immigrant community.” This
festival is not about a sign of times, it’s a celebration of Italian
culture for Italians and non Italians who wish to take part in our
beautiful culture.
To see Italia Unita, a young group who volunteer their time and
energy for their community is admirable. As an Italian American
newspaper we do our best to promote and encourage the education of
Italian language and culture. However, this is something that can
not be done by Italia Unita alone or any organization for that
matter. We need to work together to keep Italian culture alive and
spread all that is good about Italy and the impact Italians have
made in America. Festivals not only provide great fun, they provide
education and social aspects that we as Americans try to identify
with.
When I visit East Boston, I see the goodness of those who work hard
to keep their community a place that is livable, workable and
vibrant.
Furthermore, the idea that festivals needs to embody the ever
changing times is not what festivals are about. When I visit
Chinatown for the New Year’s Festival, I expect to be entertained by
the legendary dragons. If I visit the Columbian festival, I expect
to listen to Columbian music. If visit the Dominican Festival, I
expect to experiment in Dominican fare.
When I visit every North End feast, I expect to see the beauty of
the processions and the adoration of Saints. And when I visit the
Italian Festival, I expect to eat a prosciutto panini and see the
customs of our people which remind me of the customs my parents did.
In the end I expect to see all ethnicities represented in
communities and I respect ethnic groups that do all that they can in
preserving their culture such as Italia Unita in does in East
Boston.
Sincerely,
Pamela Donnaruma
Editor and Publisher
This editorial first appeared in the June 12, 2009 edition of the
Post Gazette. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.
