15 with fosca by Fosca D'Acierno

Aperilife featuring Sam Rich

In this episode, we’re invited into the warm, magical and delicious world of Carlotta Conti, a gifted cooking instructor who originally hails from Ravenna in Emilia-Romagna and who now welcomes guests into her home in the hills just outside of her Florence.

An Epic Ride

In this special episode, we dive into the heart of American football in Italy with Estra Guelfi Firenze, one of the premier teams in the Italian Football League. Founded in 2000, the Guelfi have become a powerhouse in the growing European football scene, known not just for their grit on the gridiron, but also for their deep ties to the local community.

Catching up with Girl in Florence

Minobossi: Made in Florence with Love 

Time, Again: A digital detox story - and a new way of being for solopreneurs, leaders, and seekers featuring Sandrine Kom 

A lot of people say, I want to go to Italy, I want to go to Tuscany, I want to live there and then they get here and they're like, oh, I didn't realize it was going to be so hard. Yes it is hard, and a lot of times I just trudged along anyway and I did it and I think it was just the pure positive energy of I'm going to get this done. Donna Scharnagl

Writing Florence 

What I look for in my street photography is the expression of people in everyday situations, their stories, something that's got a little twist to it, that's open-ended, so that people can step into a space and finish the story. Louise Olko

The repetition of images creates a belief; the ensemble of beliefs creates the cultural DNA of our society. If we change the images we will change the culture. Chiara Tilesi 

Bestselling author, podcast creator and award-winning journalist, Jo Piazza, on The Sicilian Inheritance

I am in search of freedom, and it's led me to filmmaking, painting, singing. I've lived many lifetimes already in this lifetime and I'm in the pursuit of happiness, joy and freedom, and trying to understand what it means to be human and a woman and just to be, and sometimes I’ll create a fantastical, colorful, escapist world whether that's in painting or in filmmaking.  Vittoria Colonna 

“They share their lives, they go to school, do sports, and have experiences together. Ours learn the customs, traditions, and way of living in the States and theirs learn what we have in here in Italy and in Tuscany especially.” Rolando Galli on the annual student exchange program between sister cities Abetone, Italy and Aspen, Colorado.  

Italy in Vermont 

I don’t exaggerate when I refer to this week’s guest, Paola Vojnovic, as a Renaissance woman. In addition to being a Renaissance art historian and an authority on culture management, Paola embodies the very spirit of the Renaissance with everything she does, especially with her Studiolo. The studiolo was a sacred inner sanctum for study, contemplation, and discourse inside Renaissance palazzi, and a keystone in the culture of Renaissance humanism. Inspired by it, for the past five years, Paola has been opening up her virtual Studiolo to the world, inviting engaged and curious individuals to take part in the conversations she has with illustrious guests – authors, thinkers, innovators, museum directors, and scholars – on a wide variety of topics related to Italy and the Renaissance. She is about to celebrate her 100th episode and her lineup of guests this season is nothing short of phenomenal. I know our chat will give you great insight into the spirit of Paola’s Studiolo and the Renaissance, and draw you into the magical world she has crafted and where she creates meaningful and deep human connections through thought-provoking exchanges around art and beauty. Biography A Renaissance Art Historian and Culture Management expert, with deeply rooted experience in international arts projects and fundraising for culture in Italy, Paola Vojnovic is also a curator, published author and research scholar as well as a sought-after private tour guide for Florence. Paola is also the creator and host of Paola’s Studiolo, the virtual meeting room of leading scholars, museum curators, and thinkers of our time. The series is inspired by the Renaissance concept of a studiolo (little studio), which was a room in 15th-century palaces specially designed for study and contemplation. She has taught art history at the British Institute and major American universities in Florence and worked for Opera di Santa Croce in Florence.Paola’s research has been published in Città di Vita, Siti UNESCO, The Florentine, The Australian’s WISH magazine and other books and periodicals. With Opera di Santa Croce she produced two exhibitions: Sisters in Liberty, hosted by the Ellis Island Museum of Immigration, NY from October 2019 – September 2020; while Serbia terra di affreschi, organized in the collaboration with the National Museum of Belgrade, was featured at the Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence; Church of Santissimi Apostoli in Rome, and the Church of Santa Maria della Salute in Viterbo in 2011-2012. Paola edited two books, "The Basilica of Santa Croce: American Reflections" and "Il Ponte delle Immagini." She also co-authored "Santa Croce in Pink," a guidebook focusing on women buried or celebrated in the Basilica of Santa Croce. Recently, Paola appeared in the ABC News segment on Dante, produced by the Columbus Citizen Association which aired on ABC-7 NY in October 2021. She also appears in the role of the Renaissance Signora in Dante and Beatrice in Florence: a Musical Film, which came out in November 2021. In 2016, she was a part of the documentary about the 1966 Great Flood of Florence, “When the World Answered,” produced by PBS. Paola is an acclaimed specialized guide for the City of Florence and among the many individuals that she worked with human rights leaders, bestselling authors, celebrities, and powerful global influencers. In addition to creating custom tours for individuals and families, Paola also designs cultural programs for specialized small groups, and acts as a liaison between museums and clients to provide special behind-the-scenes access and thus ensuring unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime experiences for visitors to Italy.

A SEAT AT THE TABLE 

Season 4, Episode 2 

Season 4, Episode 1 

Travels in Hyper Reality (TV)

“It was just a fascinating time, I was learning so much, and then my eyes were opened to the international side of it when I was working during the harvest in ‘97 at Kendall Jackson. I found out they had a winery in Tuscany and said, that's where I'm going, I'm going to have to try and go there.” Alyson Morgan 

You have Time: Slow Life Lessons, Part 2

You have Time: Slow Life Lessons, Part 1

“I think what’s most important is how you hold yourself. People make immediate assumptions based on it and keep them for a long time. That’s why I decided to do my TED Talk on some small tweaks that can radically change the way people view you and treat you.” Elia Nichols In this week’s episode with Elia Nichols, we speak at greater length about her recent TED Talk and what she was feeling as she prepared for this milestone event – after having professionally coached TEDx speakers for over two years – and once she was finally on that stage. Elia graciously shares some sneak peeks of her talk which centers on an actor’s secret, learned in an improvisation workshop, about the value of stillness and how to open your body and take up space with it. Elia also gifts us some fundamental changes we can all adopt to use our bodies to communicate with poise in all settings. Finally, we continue ruminating on the necessity of seeking out ways to live life harmoniously, on parenthood, and on whether it’s possible to have everything and what that really means. Reflecting upon how our values change over time, we speak of timing and opportunities, our shared love of Italy and similar “aha moments”, and about chasing your dreams with no regrets. Elia Nichols Biography & Links Elia Nichols is an American-born, Italian-based Public Speaking and Communication coach, TEDx Speaker, a 2x TEDx Speaking coach, and a film and TV actress. Her mindful, yet fun teaching techniques have helped thousands of people master the skill of charisma and break communication barriers. Elia teaches speakers and professionals in strategic business and leadership roles effective ways to perfect their presence and speaking skills onstage, in the courtroom, classroom, boardroom and onscreen. Her techniques incorporate elements of theatre, improvisation and comedy into teachings as she has found that this type of mindful and fun experiential learning leads to the most effective, transformational changes in her clients. Elia believes that charisma is a skill that can be learned and which, once mastered, has the potential to motivate, persuade, inspire, and advance business and personal interests. She has held high-level jobs in Public and External Relations as well as Learning and Development, which has given her insight into both the academic and business environments. In addition, she has been a professor of Public Speaking and Communication at renowned academic institutions such as the European University Institute, Syracuse University, the European School of Economics, Istituto Lorenzo de’Medici and the University of Texas at Austin. She has been a professional actress for 15 years and is best known for her starring role as Professor Tucker in the comedic TV series Maggie & Bianca Fashion Friends that airs nightly on the RAI Gulp channel in Italy and in 180 countries across the globe on Netflix. She also co-founded F.E.S.T.A. Theatre Company and produced and acted in many of its productions. Elia received her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre from Tulane University and her Masters of Fine Arts in Acting from the University of Texas at Austin. https://elianichols.com/about/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/elianichols/ https://www.facebook.com/elianicholspublicspeaking https://www.facebook.com/elia.nichols https://www.facebook.com/EliaNicholsActress https://www.instagram.com/elianichols/ https://www.instagram.com/nicholselia/ https://www.maggieandbianca.com/en Recorded at Musikalmente Firenze Podcast Editor: Andrew Niklas Curtis Production Intern: Ava Lees

“Nowadays we have 7 seconds to get the audience’s attention. It used to be 5 minutes. With the advent of social media, with all the swiping, our attention span has gone down to 7 seconds. If you don't get your audience’s attention in 7 seconds, that's it, they're gone.” Elia Nichols 

Approaching Dante 

Approaching Dante Inferno to Paradise, part 1 Featuring Riccardo Bruscagli “Dante at a certain point wakes up, looks around, and doesn’t recognize the physical and the moral landscape around him. This is a moment of fracture in his existence, and it is a moment of fracture which implies naturally not only his private life, but the life around him, which makes no sense anymore.” Riccardo Bruscagli What a pleasure to sit down with Riccardo Bruscagli, Professor Emeritus of Italian Literature, University of Florence, to discuss the one and only, Dante Alighieri, and, more specifically the riveting two-part documentary film Dante: Inferno to Paradise directed by Ric Burns and written by Bruscagli, currently streaming on PBS.    In this first episode, Riccardo takes us expertly and captivatingly through the entire process from how the project was born to the enthusiastic response it's received.   Don't miss this important conversation about the film which is a stunning mix of evocative historical reconstructions, interspersed with expert readings of Dante's life and work, provided by Riccardo and other illustrious Italianists from the world over. All of this with luscious footage, the magic of Dante's poetry, and keys to understanding the relevance and importance of Dante's journey to us all.  Biography & Links Riccardo Bruscagli is Emeritus Professor of Italian Literature at the University of Florence.  He was a full Professor of Italian Literature at the University from 1987 until his retirement. In 2010 he was elected Dean of the Faculty. Riccardo has given lectures and been visiting professor at many renowned universities the world over including Stanford, Berkeley, Rutgers, CUNY, the Sorbonne and Bonn Universität, to name a few. He is a member of the board of directors of the Società Dantesca. Most recently, he has teamed up with documentary filmmaker Ric Burns to write and produce a PBS documentary on Dante Alighieri and The Divine Comedy.

“A bottle of wine represents culture and history and language and people, and my love affair for wine has come from getting to know the story behind every wine that I taste. I think that is just magic, that's the magic of wine.” Savannah Boylan

Season 3, Episode 17

Season 3, Episode 16

Season 3, Episode 15

“A lawyer is not just the one who is going to defend you in court but is also a kind of guide that pushes you in the correct way, to enhance and to explore your ideas. That is exactly my role in the context of beauty.” Claudia Del Re 

Whether you are a first time voter, a seasoned one, or are voting from abroad for the first time, you will not want to miss this special episode of 15 with Fosca, featuring special guests, Leyani Redditi and Jane Zaloga, respectively Chair and Vice Chair of Central Italy for Democrats Abroad. 

“Another way, in addition to Speakeasy, which I really suggest that worked for me is doing an activity that people who are like minded might do. That's the best way to build community because everyone's looking for it. It's one of those ironies of modern life that people feel disconnected and lonely, but we all have the same needs.” Miriam Hurley, on finding community in Florence. 

“Even if you've done it for 24 years, every translation, almost every sentence, is a challenge, and that's what makes it fun.” Miriam Hurley 

“From my experience, there's a very different attitude towards careers here; generally speaking, your job doesn't define you. Whenever I speak to Italians, they never ask that as their first question, it’s never ‘what do you do,’ or ‘what's your job’? They're more interested in the life that you live around your job, which is a great thing, it's very commendable, so different from the way we are, so different.” Eleanor Walker

“My plan was to stay in Italy until I was due to go back to work on the 1st of November, because that was when the furlough scheme was due to end. So, I thought, ok, fine, I'm going to stay. I don't need to be back in London, I'm going to stay here. I'll take some Italian classes, visit some museums, live a life of leisure in Italy because why not?” Eleanor Walker 

Registrato il 12 Marzo 2024 a Musikalmente Firenze

Il Mentoring: Ascolto, Riflessione & Fiducia, Part 1

We are celebrating one year of the podcast with an entire episode dedicated to you, our listeners, and to your questions about Italy, Italians, and Italian culture. 

“We call it a retreat because we want people to get away from what they're normally doing and thinking. You don't have to be a foodie to go there, but you'll probably leave as one”. Rebecca Christophersen Gouttenoire on Campo Sasso 

Recorded at Formaggioteca Terroir on April 2, 2024 

“Italy changed my DNA in a sense. After a career spanning several different things, a year ago, I launched my executive coaching business. I'm working with execs, founders, and rising leaders. Through a coaching perspective I wanted some of the same things that I love about Italy, like slowing down and really connecting and getting to the heart of it with people, and I’m finding that to be a really meaningful way to tap into business and leadership.” Emma Wood This past January, Emma Wood and I connected via Zoom to record this very special, long, video episode in which we speak about everything from gap years, solo travel, food, and wine, to first drew Emma to Italy and how her relationship with the country has grown and evolved over time. She also shares with us how Italy has impacted her, professionally and personally, and still does to this day. Join us for a chat about Emma’s journey, fortuitous encounters, her pivot into the world of coaching with the founding last year of her company, Caterpillar Collaborative. In her work, Emma is helping people lead better lives and better companies, and trying to create a better world through better workplaces where people are thriving, more in touch with themselves, and self-aware. Emma Wood I believe we can align success and fulfillment through conscious leadership. For individuals, this means creating careers and lives that are balanced, intentional and full of purpose. For companies, this means investing in supporting individuals to drive exceptional and sustainable results. I work with entrepreneurs, executives and emerging leaders. While our primary focus is typically professional in nature, I take a whole-person approach that recognizes the personal & professional are interwoven. My clients trust me to create a safe, confidential and empowering space that enables them to courageously explore, grow and navigate important transitions.  My ideal clients are self-aware, curious, and committed to doing the work. They aren’t content to just settle or survive – they want to thrive. They’re ready to dream big and take bold steps to achieve their goals. They recognize the value of investing in themselves and their development. They are willing to dig deep and carve out time for what truly matters. They’re not just moving upward, they’re moving forward. I know what it’s like to succeed in intense, fast-paced environments. I earned two degrees from Stanford (BA and MBA), cut my teeth at one of the top management consulting firms (McKinsey & Company), and reached the C-suite by the time I hit 30. Before transitioning to coaching, I served as the COO and interim CEO for consumer companies. I most recently worked with a wine importer & distributor, a private equity-backed pet company, and a high-growth beverage startup in leadership roles spanning strategy, operations, people, and innovation. I am familiar with the impact, thrills and rewards of achievement.  I also know the taste of failure and the tolls these demanding careers can take. I’ve walked away from environments and trajectories that no longer aligned with my values or the impact I wanted to have. Through these experiences, I’ve learned how to power through adversity, connect into my inner compass, and stay resilient no matter the circumstances.  As an adventurer, I’ve always been hungry for new experiences, deep connections, and cultivating a sense of wonder. I’ve traveled to more than 40 countries and moved to places where I didn’t yet speak the language or know anyone. I’ve gotten quiet as I focused on my own inner work, learning from a range of teachers and modalities. I know what it feels like to be at a crossroads and to make big changes in order to build the life you want.

“You have a relationship with the artist. This was a painting in which she put an idealized version of her face, so I am looking at her and working on her and we were communicating on so many different levels.” Elizabeth Wicks on restoring Artemisia Gentileschi’s Allegory of Inclination.

This past April, I sat down with members of the Mama Florence family to chat with them about their relationship with Italian cuisine, their first and most significant food memories and moments, their favorite dishes, and why they love the work they do. What comes out in our conversations is just how inextricably linked food and the idea of home are, and what Mama Florence does every day to foster that important connection. For so many happy participants, Mama Florence becomes a home away from home. An intimate space, the minute you walk through the door you are greeted by enticing and familiar aromas and feel a sense of belonging as you step into their warm and welcoming kitchen. Located in the heart of the authentically Florentine Oltrarno neighborhood, Mama Florence offers something for everyone. Whether you want to take a private or a group class, organize an event for your family, friends, or business, go on a market tour, or participate in a singular Tuscan food experience, Mama Florence will bring you into their home, take you by the hand, and lead you on a journey of tastes, smells, discoveries, emotions, and memories. In this special video, which celebrates the 10th anniversary of Mama Florence, I hope you enjoy the heart, soul and true spirit of Mama, through the voices and stories of those who are spreading joy and knowledge, all the while creating a community and a home through cooking and eating. Recorded at Mama Florence, April 19, 2024 Production Intern, Mark Scott Links https://www.mamaflorence.com/enhttps://www.facebook.com/MaMa.Florenc...https://www.instagram.com/mama.florence/

“I really felt like I came alive here. Life felt simultaneously easier and harder, but underneath all of that, more inspiring and enlivening. And it's something that I just couldn't leave.” Alexandria Brown-Hejazi

“I think for anyone who lives in Italy or is interested in Italy, it's really valuable and interesting to keep those other connections in mind. The Mediterranean touches us all in some way or other.” Ali Aydin Karamustafa

Season 2, Episode 19

Season 2, Episode 18

“In the museums, when you go there, you feel like you're taking a bath, it's like a bath in art. And then you just feel a whole refresh, your eyes are brighter, and you see things in different colors. I feel like art influences a person subconsciously a lot, much more than what you can think with your logic. After I go to the Uffizi, even after three days, the effects start to emerge in me.” Vea Chen

Season 2, Episode 16

Season 2, Episode 15 Beautiful Deep: A Journey of Faith, Part 2 Featuring Sherrita Duran “I think the world right now is so dark, darker than ever, you know, and I think about what I can do and in whatever capacity I can, I want to be the opposite of that. I want to bring light. I want to bring faith.” Sherrita Duran In the second half of my conversation with Sherrita Duran, brilliant and delightful singer, songwriter, and fellow US expat in Italy, we take a deeper dive into her life, art, faith, and her magical creative process. Sheritta also unveils the ways that Italy and her spirituality inspire her and her music every day. As moms of teenage girls, the conversation inevitably turns to the challenges and joys of having made the choice to raise our daughters in Italy. We also speak some more about Sherrita’s current plans and she reveals some news on a few of her many notable upcoming projects. Links https://sherrita.com/ https://music.apple.com/it/artist/sherrita-duran/201995862 https://open.spotify.com/artist/4v3o91RHZwTd7Fd4Y94jsv https://www.youtube.com/ciaotanto https://www.instagram.com/sherritaduran https://vt.tiktok.com/ZGeME6csW/

Beautiful Deep: A Journey of Faith, Part 1

“Going back to Sarah Parker Remond, this city has a long history of what nowadays we call inclusion. At the time it was cosmopolitanism, right? This city is very, very open and welcoming and, you know, it has its challenges, but I would like to quote a student of mine who last week told me that, Florence is too big to be such a small city.” Lucia Ducci

The Power of Leaving & Returning, Part 1

La Giustizia & Il Futuro, Part 2

Season 2, Episode 10

Season 2, Episode 9

Accessible Study Abroad: Verto Education’s Winning Model, Part 1 Cristiana Gallai, Florence Center Director, Verto Education “With Verto, students have the opportunity, regardless of their financial background, to study abroad, to study somewhere which is not their home country and learn about different cultures. And that becomes the path for them to access a college education and allows us to host a very diverse student population.” Cristiana Gallai Join me and my special guest, Cristiana Gallai, for the first half of our two-part conversation about her personal and professional path to becoming Florence Center Director at Verto Education, founded in 2017 with the goal of increasing equity, access, inclusion, and diversity in study abroad and higher education. The episode also looks at how students have changed and, why, in such a globalized world, Florence and Italy are still so appealing to young US students choosing to spend time abroad. Finally, we reflect upon what Verto students spending their freshman semester in Florence take away from this highly rewarding, alternative entrance into college life, a truly innovative approach to and vision of higher education that bestows upon first years transformative, inclusive, and empowering experiences abroad. Cristiana Gallai’s Biography

Space and the City, Part 2 Featuring Devorah Block, Strategy & Engagement Educator & Advisor for the Third Sector, Salon of Urban Architecture & Circles Squared “What we are looking at as a global society, in different shades and in different ways and with different contexts and nuances, and what a lot of people are seeking out, is putting a real value on the human again. With the difference that it's the human contextualized within our larger living ecosystem, not person first, but that we need to somehow live in balance with all the forms of life that are around us.” Devorah Block What is the future of our cities? What’s changing and what needs to change and how can we as citizens be agents of urban transformation? Join me and special guest, Devorah Block, as we continue our conversation about the built environment and discuss her work with the Place Literacy Project regarding how we use space, how we get to and move within our spaces, and the significance of adaptation, inclusion, education, and sustainability in architecture today. We also touch upon how our cities are designed, how those decisions are made, and how we can empower people to ask questions about the built environment that will ultimately change the way our cities are designed. Furthermore, we speak at length about the Salon of Urban Architecture. Much more than a salon, S/UA is an intellectual space in Florence, a real gem in the city’s cultural landscape, created by Karin Templin, Ros Diamond, and Devorah, where dialogues around urbanism, that use Florence’s role as a natural classroom, are currently happening. Imagine an intimate gathering of people with diverse backgrounds, interests, and professions coming together as a community in an archetypal Florentine space to exchange ideas and ask questions about the way we live. Check out their next event here: https://www.salonofurbanarchitecture.com/salons Devorah Block Biography & Links https://www.devorahblock.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/devorah-block/ https://www.salonofurbanarchitecture.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/salon-of-urban-architecture/ https://www.instagram.com/salon.of.urban.architecture.it/ https://circlessquared.org/ https://www.builtenvironmentliteracy.org/ Other related links https://www.palazzostrozzi.org/en/ https://www.manifatturatabacchi.com/en/ https://curbatheri.niku.no/case-the-san-donato-neighbourhood/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosco_Verticale

❤️Special Valentine’s Day Weekend Edition❤️

“I think that arriving in Florence, where value was placed on life much more than it is on work, was key. I was much more interested in living a certain kind of life than I was in making a certain amount of money, and that's really what sustains me here. Then The Recovery Plan, Black History Month Florence, those were built to make up for all the things that I was not okay with. There's a lot about this place that I had huge issues with, and I needed to create something that would allow, maybe make more space, more sense for me. And that's how that happened and it continues to feed me.” Justin Randolph Thompson 

“Of all the platforms, Black History Month is the one where we really work on activating our network. Because we have all year to do our work and share what we do, but we really want other institutions to be involved, to show what they're doing. To connect with us. And so that's really the moment of February for us and it's the moment of maybe more visibility. It's the moment of bringing a lot of people into our space that have never been here and to hearing a lot of new conversations.” Justin Randolph Thompson Early in the new year, I sat down with Justin Thompson at The Recovery Plan*, a research center, cultural repository, & multifunctional exhibition and performance space that fosters transnational exchange around Afrodescendent cultures and peoples using research, production and documentation in relation to cultural production as a means for examining the history and contemporary legacy of Blackness in a global context. The center is a space for critical thinking and recovery from historical inaccuracy and the recovering of histories that still await narration. In part 1, Justin and I talk about the birth of BHMF, the importance of the physical space that is The Recovery Plan, and what the 9th edition of Black History Month Florence looks like. Justin gives us some sneak peeks of the more than 50 events, characterized by complex and layered intersections, that are planned for February 2024 and beyond.  We also talk about recalibrating cultural and historic social value, shifting the tides, and the importance of collectivity. Tune in now to find out more about how the musical annotation, whole rest, which pulls you into a full stop forcing you to catch your breath, concentrate on what you need to be doing next, and listen to others, inspired and informed this edition of Black History Month.  * Apologies for saying, not once, but twice, The Recovery Project. I like to keep the podcasts as true to the original conversation as possible and chose not to edit it out. Justin Randolph Thompson Biography  Justin Randolph Thompson is an artist, cultural facilitator and educator born in Peekskill, NY in ’79. Based between Italy and the US since 1999, Thompson is Co-Founder and Director of Black History Month Florence, a multi-faceted exploration of Black histories and cultures in the context of Italy founded in 2016. Having realized, coordinated, curated, facilitated and promoted over 300 events and with 8 ongoing research platforms, the initiative has been reframed as a Black cultural center called The Recovery Plan. Thompson is a recipient of a 2022 Creative Capital Award, a 2020 Italian Council Research Fellowship, a Louis Comfort Tiffany Award, a Franklin Furnace Fund Award, a Visual Artist Grant from the Fundacion Marcelino Botin and an Emerging Artist Fellowship from Socrates Sculpture Park amongst others. His work and performances have been exhibited widely in institutions including The Whitney Museum of American Art, the Centro de Arte Reina Sofia and The American Academy in Rome and are part of numerous collections including The Studio Museum in Harlem, and the Museo MADRE.  His life and work seek to deepen the discussions around socio-cultural stratification and the arrogance of permanence by employing fleeting temporary communities as monuments and fostering projects that connect academic discourse, social activism and DIY networking strategies in annual and biennial gathering, sharing and gestures of collectivity.  Links and Resources  ⁠http://www.justinrandolphthompson.com/⁠ ⁠http://justinrandolphthompson.com/cv/⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/justinrandolphthompson/⁠ ⁠https://linktr.ee/black.history.month.florence⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/bhmf_/⁠ ⁠https://www.facebook.com/blackhistorymonthflorencepage/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel⁠ ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6SDzvgxWemlA_4rjS7hXyQ⁠

“It's such an interesting, eye-opening experience of people and their relationship with their culinary foundation; just the way that they eat and survive in their world. I think where that bar is is extremely telling about the priorities of a culture and the priorities of the people within it.” Mike Reisman, on eating in Italy 

Season 2, Episode 2

Episodio speciale registrato da Musikalmente Firenze il 17 dicembre 2023

In part two of my conversation with Giada and Sam, we continue to discuss some of the most critical differences between the US and Italian education systems and how they are shaping a new generation of global citizens. As we dig deeper into these questions, and their inevitable cultural implications, we also touch upon activism, walk-outs, and the very Italian notions of occupazione and scioperi, happening all over Italian high schools right now, and which Giada helps us unpack. 

“I think people are seeking out more personalized, curated experiences.  You want to feel like you’re a part of a community in a way. That for us is rather important and we have had such an amazing supportive community of people, not just here but also abroad, and it's made a huge difference in our business and the way we do things at Querceto di Castellina.” Mary Shea 

On our last day in the US this summer, I sat down with my nephew, Samuel Pellegrino McNeill, and my daughter, Giada Veronica Ciampi, to talk about identity, the value of studying the Italian language in the US, and what it’s like growing up half-American in Italy and Italian American in the US today.

Are you dreaming about moving to Italy and making a life for yourself? Curious about the

Episodio Speciale in Italiano – Special Episodio in Italiano

“Il Moro aims to be an ode to self-love for Black-Italians, Afropeans and the African diaspora, a reminder that we are an integral part of European history beyond the way it has portrayed us up until now.” Daphne Di Cinto, Il Moro – The Moor: a Real Black Duke, Beyond Fiction. The Los Angeles Tribune, April 19, 2022.

EPISODIO SPECIALE IN ITALIANO – SPECIAL EPISODIO IN ITALIANO

“Francesca once wrote that she wanted to write her autobiography. I hope that by writing the definitive narrative of her life, Francesca will finally have this desire fulfilled, and the world can know her as she was: multifaceted, on fire about life and art, and solare.” Amy Love Tomasso 

Episodio Speciale in Italiano – Special Episodio in Italiano

In this episode I share some very personal experiences and stories that strive to give global expats, expat families, digital nomads, temporary visitors, and permanent international residents some hints and tips for making meaningful connections and creating and building community in Florence and in Italy. This solo podcast is a response to the many queries I receive from clients as well as expats I encounter in Florence, who ask me for advice on how to feel a true sense of belonging when living in Italy as a foreigner.Tune in for some thoughts and strategies on getting out there and investing time and energy in something that you love and about which you care and that will ultimately bring you closer to the people and the culture. 

Episodio speciale in italiano – Special episode in Italian

Tanti Auguri Babbo, Happy Birthday Dad!

Embracing Florence

Join Francesca Lupia and me for part two of our conversation as we discuss the LGBTIQA+ community, as well as broader questions of gender and identity in Italy today. We also cover where Italy is in terms of these important questions, what’s going on with young Italians today, how to fight brain drain, and why this is a do or die moment for the country.

Finding Authenticity and Making Connections in Florence

Learning Italian with compassion, flexibility and in expert hands at Florence’s Scuola Monna Lisa

This is part one of a two-part series with Stanford alumna and Fulbright scholar, Francesca Lupia. Francesca is trained as an anthropologist and studies, among other things, the Chinese Italian community in Italy.  

Leigh Biddlecome: 1 Italian Beaurocracy Zero 

Welcome to 15 with Fosca!