Presidential Proclamation--Italian American Heritage and Culture Month

The President of the United States Barack Obama released a press release yesterday declaring October 2010 Italian American Heritage and Culture Month.

As an Italian American I am very pleased to see the White House formally releasing statements acknowledging the great history of the Italian Americans in the United States. Not only that, but if you go on the Whitehouse website you can see how this statement along with the entire press release is available for viewing. This President is all about transparency and social media. That works for me.

Thank you President Obama

Read the Proclamation here: http://bit.ly/9LpQ4f

Photo: Whitehouse.gov Tweet

Chilean Mine Rescue - A Story of Human Spirit and Hope - Did you know Chile is home to Many Italian Chileans?

An amazing story of 33 men trapped in a mine for 68 days with minimal light, communication or dealings with the outside world. To be rescued after so long and have survived is truly a modern day miracle. I couldn't let this story pass by without talking about how our Chilean American friends feel a sense of pride today after the Chilean government orchestrated an unbelievable rescue and recovery project. The coverage alone on the live streaming and reception by Chilean President and his wife will go down in history as a one of a kind of story.

If you read the details of the trapped miners' stories you'll find out that their human spirit and hope is what kept them going. They designated a time everyday for praying and worked with each other to ensure their health and safety.

This teaches the world a lesson in hope. I know for me it made me think about their strength and how they managed to survive. It gives me hope and strength to endure my challenges.

What I think is interesting and gives an Italian connection is the fact that many Italian Chileans are part of the Chilean population. There are certain areas of Chile named after towns in Italy were emigration was high during certain time periods. There are actually famous Italian Chileans who are of Italian descent, just like you and me.

Here is an interesting link to the history of Italian Chileans and the actual live feed of the rescue operation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_Chilean (ITALIAN CHILEANS)

http://www.cnn.com/video/flashLive/live.html?stream=stream2&hpt=C1 (LIVE STREAM OF RESCUE _WATCH LIVE!) Tweet

What's Your Italian American Story? - Call for Submissions

Dear Italian American Girl Readers, To celebrate and preserve our Italian American culture the Italian American Girl site will honor Italian Heritage Month here in the United States for the month of October. It's important as Italian Americans that we "stick" together and work on cultural education and find ways to preserve and share our traditions, history and personal stories. Being that the Italian American Girl site focuses on the personal Italian connection and the preservation of Italian family history and traditions, I would like to invite the readers of our site to submit their Italian American stories. Tell us about you and your Italian American story. What's the history behind your family? When did your ancestors come here and where in Italy are you from? Have you ever been to Italy? Have you connected with an Italian family member through social media like Facebook or Twitter? I want to know. I will choose amazing personal stories and feature them on the Italian American Girl site. So don't be shy, share!  Tweet

Tu Vuò Fa' L'Americano

OK, I have to post this original more classic version of "Tu Vuò Fa' L'Americano" Thanks to mainstream media once again, the song has been revised drastically into a catchy remix which can be heard at many clubs or even on the top New York/ New Jersey and tri-state radio stations.

I grew up listening to this song with my father actually this was kind of a classic anthem... from back in the day for my parents. Everything and anything old is new again. Enjoy.



This is the remix club version if you're interested in a listen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMj2ce8AlcY Tweet

Columbus Day Parade - New York City October 11, 2010

Columbus Day Parade in New York City is set to occur on October 11, 2010. The parade is sure to be packed again this year with folk dancers, singers, colorful floats and visitors from Italy who will be in the parade and on the side lines cheering on.

The parade signifies an important day for our family. It will be 54 years on Columbus Day that my father first came to America. I always tell him he's walking history. He's now 80 years old and still talks about coming to America like it was yesterday. Truly amazing. On that note, Happy Columbus Day everyone, enjoy!

Here are details:

Event:
66th Annual Columbus Day Parade
Date:
October 11, 2010
Hours:
11:30 AM to 3:00 PM
Parade route:
From 47th St. to 72nd St. on Fifth Ave.

For more details:
http://www.columbuscitizensfd.org/cparade.shtml Tweet

International Singer, Patrizio Buanne Takes Over The Stage

Last night I had the honor of attending a Patrizio Buanne concert, one of the most incredibly inspiring concerts I've been to in a very long time. Buanne performed live in New Jersey to a wildly excited audience, who couldn't get enough of him or his witty story telling throughout the show.

But, before the actual show, I was lucky enough to meet him and have a chat, which was arranged by his incredible and hospitable team. (Thanks AD) I have to say, as a television producer, I've met many celebrities and been around show biz for quite some time and usually don't get nervous, but because I was going to meet him for the first time -I realized I was going to be able to put a real person to this powerful voice.

First impressions are everything and he didn't disappoint. What I found most intriguing about Patrizio was his ability to convey his passion for what he was doing and how he wanted his music and career to be interpreted. He didn't hesitate to discuss how his fans have made an incredible impact on his career here in the United States.

Buanne's passion for his music and message are very obvious when he talks, you can't help but listen to what he's saying or how he's saying it. This is also true when he performs, at one point during the show, he sang a new song from his upcoming album, which was written by famous songwriter Diane Warren where Patrizio says, "you have to listen to the words" --- as he performed the song came alive, I listened and felt the depth, meaning and importance of this song.

Throughout the show Patrizio performed on piano and guitar, displaying his musical talents, I mean let's be honest.. this guy is for real. His voice, his performance, his charisma and musicality are second to none.

Patrizio Buanne is destined to become a household name, his following in the United States is growing and quite simply I don't think he can be stopped. His energy is very powerful along with his incredible voice.

A complete musical crossover into the United States market is on the horizon with his fans anxiously awaiting his next tour.

On a personal note, I would like to thank Patrizio for taking the time to meet with me. Grazie Patrizio!

Photo: Copyright of ItalianAmericanGirl.com 2010

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Italian Singer Patrizio Buanne At Count Basie Theater, Red Bank NJ- October 3rd

Count Basie Theater: October 3 rd 2010 at 7:00 p.m.

Ticket Information: http://www.countbasietheatre.org/calendar/show/show.asp?id=43246584

See you all there!

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