15 with Fosca

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 In this special, long episode featuring art historian Alexandria Brown-Hejazi, we begin by speaking about her journey from California to Italy, in the midst of the pandemic, and the challenges she encountered when she first arrived, alone with a small child, trying to move her research forward and advance her academic career while raising a child in a foreign country. We also cover a wide range of topics from finding and building community, to the differences between raising kids in Italy and in the US, to “checking out of the matrix,” and to planning -- or not -- for the future. We also discuss where she is right now and dig deeper into her research and her teaching. We chat about aesthetics and meraviglie and what she is doing to bring students closer to art history through new, inclusive, and diverse perspectives that inspire young scholars to look at, feel, and experience what they are seeing in Italy every day in a profoundly personal way that transforms their study abroad journeys into passages of true self-discovery and awareness. Alexandria Brown-Hejazi Biography Alexandria specializes in early modern art and architecture of the Mediterranean basin and eastern Islamicate world, with a particular focus on the arts of Italy and Iran. She teaches art history in Florence, where she is also an Associate Scholar at the Kunsthistorisches Institut in Florenz. Alexandria is also the recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship, as well as the Henry A. Millon Award in Art and Architectural History from the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation. Her research has been supported by the Hoover Institution, the American Association of Iranian Studies, and the Mellon Foundation. She has curated two exhibitions on the theme of cross-cultural early modern exchange. At the Cantor Arts Center, Alexandria directed the first exhibition on Persian art in Crossing the Caspian: Persia and Europe, 1500-1700. She also curated an online exhibition on Islamic mapping practices at the David Rumsey Map Center in her show Mapping the Islamic World: the Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal Empires. She received her PhD in Art History from Stanford University, her MA from Harvard University with Distinction, and her BA from the University of California Berkeley. https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandria-brown-hejazi-33a50049/ Recorded November 28, 2023 @ Musikalmente Firenze

“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 In part two of our conversation, Ali and I continue to discuss Italy’s relationship to its Mediterranean neighbors and to the Islamic world through the ages and take a deeper dive into a wide range of topics touching on Italy’s colonial past, postwar history, contemporary politics, and immigration.  Once again through Ali’s commentary, informed by a keen historical lens, we also look at Italy’s ambiguous position, geographically and politically, delve into the complicated questions surrounding immigration in the country today, and explore broader topics related to economics and politics, in Italy, Europe, and on a global level.  Finally, we talk about what’s in store for Ali and he shares with us some exciting projects he has in the works for the immediate future.  Ali Aydin Karamustafa Biography Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Ali Aydin Karamustafa is a historian of the Ottoman and Safavid worlds, and his research focuses on oral and written traditions concerning origins, conquest, legitimacy, and rebellion which were produced and circulated by political communities from the fourteenth to the eighteenth centuries across Eurasia.  Primarily based in Bologna, Italy, since 2018, he currently teaches at Stanford University's Breyer Center for Overseas Studies Program in Florence. In January 2020, he received his PhD in history from Stanford in Transnational, International, and Global History. His dissertation focused on the popular culture of the Middle East in the 16th-18th centuries, in particular, the epic of Köroğlu.  He speaks and reads several regional languages, and works with manuscripts, journals, and print sources for his research. He has extensive travel and research experience in Iran, Turkey, Jordan, the Caucasus, and Russia. He is interested in applying his expertise in historical analysis and language skills to carry out research on contemporary politics and economics in Europe and the Middle East.  LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-aydin-karamustafa-507442170/ Recorded March 5, 2024 @ Musikalmente Firenze Production Intern: Mark Scott 

Season 2, Episode 19 Italy, Islam & the Mediterranean featuring Ali Aydin Karamustafa “I'm from Saint Louis, but I'm also originally Turkish and Iranian, so I have a basic experience with the Mediterranean. Coming to Italy there were a lot of things that were immediately recognizable, even just on the visceral level: sights, sounds, colors, smells, facial features. On the other hand, I was surprised by how much I felt that Italian culture and society had its back turned on the rest of the Mediterranean and was really looking towards Northern Europe.” Ali Aydin Karamustafa Join me for the first half of my conversation with global historian, Ali Aydin Karamustafa, in which we trace his personal and professional path from St. Louis, Missouri to Bologna, Italy. In this episode, Ali engages us in an illuminating narrative about Italy’s relationship to its Mediterranean neighbors and to the Islamic world through the ages. During his recounting, Ali identifies key historical moments, offers valuable insights on those moments and their vestiges, and provides different lenses through which to look at Italy’s connection to its Mediterranean neighbors and what that relationship means and has meant to Italians. We also discuss Ali’s complicated relationship to Italy, how he sees himself in the country in light of his own cultural identity, and we delve into the notion and significance of a “Mediterranean identity”. Finally, we touch upon what it’s like to be a young academic in Italy today and I ask Ali to tell us about his research and teaching, his keen interest in contemporary geopolitical issues and economic exchanges, and how he sees Italy’s current relationship with the Mediterranean. Ali Aydin Karamustafa biography Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Ali Aydin Karamustafa is a historian of the Ottoman and Safavid worlds, and his research focuses on oral and written traditions concerning origins, conquest, legitimacy, and rebellion which were produced and circulated by political communities from the fourteenth to the eighteenth centuries across Eurasia. Primarily based in Bologna, Italy, since 2018, he currently teaches at Stanford University's Breyer Center for Overseas Studies Program in Florence. In January 2020, he received his PhD in history from Stanford in Transnational, International, and Global History. His dissertation focused on the popular culture of the Middle East in the 16th-18th centuries, in particular, the epic of Köroğlu. He speaks and reads several regional languages, and works with manuscripts, journals, and print sources for his research. He has extensive travel and research experience in Iran, Turkey, Jordan, the Caucasus, and Russia. He is interested in applying his expertise in historical analysis and language skills to carry out research on contemporary politics and economics in Europe and the Middle East. Recorded March 5, 2024 @ Musikalmente Firenze Production Intern: Mark Scott

Season 2, Episode 18 From East to West: Art, Aesthetics & Sustainable Fashion, Part 2 featuring Vea Chen In the second half of my chat with Vea Chen we expound further upon fashion and speak about Vea’s approach to her dream of founding a sustainable fashion brand and the concrete steps she has taken and is taking to make that dream a reality. We also grapple with the meaning of fashion, today and throughout history, and the significance, on several levels, of what we choose to wear, what we wear, how we dress on a daily basis, and see and express ourselves Vea and I also look at fashion through the lenses of contemporary art, social movements, pop culture, and subcultures. We also delve into the problematic ways in which influencers and social media dictate our fashion choices and what can be done to counter that. Finally, we reflect upon what is important, not only to young people studying fashion today, but also to gen z more broadly, and Vea introduces a thought-provoking vision of the future of fashion. Vea Chen Biography Vea Chen was born in China and earned a degree in Mathematics and Economics from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Subsequently, she spent five years working with US Multinational corporations. Her exposure to luxury perfumeries during her professional journey sparked a keen interest in fashion. While on vacation in Japan, the philosophy of respecting nature and craftsmanship deeply resonated with her, leading to the realization that her true passion lies in the creative industry and art. Motivated by this revelation, she made the decision to pursue studies in fashion at Polimoda in Italy with the goal of establishing a business centered around sustainable fashion with healing properties. She firmly believes that fashion plays a significant role in people's lives, influencing emotions and adding vibrancy. In an era dominated by the starkness of black in street fashion and people's attention are drawn to the online world, her aspiration is to add color, beauty, slow fashion, and human touch to people's lives. https://www.instagram.com/vvronica_vea/ https://www.polimoda.com/

“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 Imagine a dream, a recurring dream, that leads you to embark on the adventure of a lifetime. That’s part of today’s story, that of Vea Chen, and of her journey from Singapore to Italy, driven by a revelation she had while on vacation in Japan, and of what she is doing to make her real-life dream of establishing a business centered around sustainable fashion with healing properties a reality. In this first part of our conversation, we hear more about her love of art, the importance of aesthetics, her vision of fashion today, her company’s mission, and her ultimate aspiration of adding color, beauty, slow fashion, and a human touch to people's lives. Tune in to hear more about what drew Vea to Florence, why she chose to study and make her life here, and why she feels that it is the ideal place for her to be working as a sustainable fashion entrepreneur today. Vea Chen Biography Vea Chen was born in China and earned a degree in Mathematics and Economics from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Subsequently, she spent five years working with US Multinational corporations. Her exposure to luxury perfumeries during her professional journey sparked a keen interest in fashion. While on vacation in Japan, the philosophy of respecting nature and craftsmanship deeply resonated with her, leading to the realization that her true passion lies in the creative industry and art. Motivated by this revelation, she made the decision to pursue studies in fashion at Polimoda in Italy with the goal of establishing a business centered around sustainable fashion with healing properties. She firmly believes that fashion plays a significant role in people's lives, influencing emotions and adding vibrancy. In an era dominated by the starkness of black in street fashion and people's attention are drawn to the online world, her aspiration is to add color, beauty, slow fashion, and human touch to people's lives. https://www.instagram.com/vvronica_vea/ https://www.polimoda.com/

Season 2, Episode 16 Languages, Literature, and Living Abroad: Cultivating One’s Garden in our Global World Featuring Chloe Summers Edmondson Recorded via Zoom, January 2024 “The tools that you gain through studying the humanities are going to serve you in any career that you have…the ability to write and express clearly, to communicate clearly, to solve problems that have no clear answers, to collaborate with others and to think critically. And I think that studying abroad… the skills that it takes, and the tools that you gain that are required to have a positive study abroad experience, are tools that will serve you in any career.” Chloe Summers Edmondson In this special video episode, recorded via Zoom this past January, Chloe reflects upon how her time abroad, both in Florence and Paris, impacted her professional and personal path and continues to do so to this day. We muse on the power of learning a foreign language, the cruciality of spending time in another country, and why studying the humanities is more important than ever right now. Chloe also speaks about her approach to teaching, and I ask her to tell us more about her incredible classes and how she is bringing a new generation of students closer to the humanities, guiding them on a journey of historical awareness that leads them to a profound understanding of the value of the humanities and their relatability to today’s world and its problems. She also shares with us her current research interests, her take on what we can learn from the past, and how she frames contemporary media issues through an historical and interdisciplinary lens. Chloe also ruminates on storytelling through time, what she’s doing to bring her research to a broader public and explains why it’s so necessary to cultivate one’s own garden in our global world. Biography and Links Dr. Chloe Summers Edmondson is an interdisciplinary and multilingual scholar who specializes in the literature and history of France. Her research is situated at the crossroads of literary criticism, cultural history, and media studies, with a focus on seventeenth- and eighteenth-century France. She currently holds the position of Acting Assistant Professor of French at Stanford University. She is also the France-Stanford Center Fellow for the Roxane Debuisson Collection on Paris History. Lastly, Chloe is the Director of the Undergraduate Research Program for CESTA, the Center for Spatial and Textual Analysis. She is the author of articles that have been published in multiple academic venues. Chloe co-edited, with Dan Edelstein, the volume, Networks of Enlightenment: Digital Approaches to the Republic of Letters (Liverpool University Press/ Voltaire Foundation, 2019). Her current research has also been featured on the podcast Entitled Opinions about Life and Literature. Chloe earned a Ph.D. in the Department of French & Italian at Stanford in 2020. She also holds a B.A. in French, with Honors and Distinction, and a M.A. in Communication, both from Stanford. During her time as an undergraduate student, she studied abroad in Florence and in Paris through the Stanford Bing Overseas Studies Programs. LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chloe-summers-edmondson-phd-4383a589/ Personal Website https://www.chloe-edmondson.com/ Stanford profile https://dlcl.stanford.edu/people/chloe-edmondson @Chloe_mhse https://twitter.com/Chloe_mhse Entitled Opinions https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/entitled-opinions-about-life-and-literature/id81415836?i=1000605045889

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 Featuring Sherrita Duran “I fell in love with opera, I fell in love with Puccini and Verdi, and I went to USC (University of Southern California), to the music school there, because that was my passion. I'm going to be an opera singer. That's all I want to do, be an opera singer. So, I just put all my energy into that and obviously life, you know, it surprises and changes.” Sherrita Duran Join me this week for the first part of my conversation with the incredibly talented and charismatic Sherrita Duran, professional singer and songwriter, and fellow US expat in Italy. In this first part of our chat, recorded during Easter week in Florence, we talk about Sherrita’s vocation, her path as an artist, and her journey to Italy. We also touch on her love of opera, what first drew her to the country, what kept her here, and what it was like to make the leap, professionally and personally, from the stages of Broadway to the piazzas, theaters, and concert halls of Italy. We also talk about what it is like to be a performing artist in Italy today, what she is currently working on, and her exciting plans for the future. 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/ Official Biography A SONG THAT COMES FROM THE HEART, A VOICE THAT TOUCHES THE SOUL” A rich colourful voice, with a warmth like her home state of California, a velvety timbre with a notable extension, sensitivity and technique that grant her the ability to be versatile in many different styles. It all began with her childhood passion for Broadway musicals and opera ... The voice of Sherrita amazes and delights the listener to the point that the music critic Mario Luzzatto Fegiz called it'' An acrobatic soprano, a force of nature capable of uniting Bel canto to black music.'' Born and raised in Fresno (California), Sherrita moved to Los Angeles where she earned a Bachelor of Music in Opera and Vocal Arts at the University of Southern California. While still attending the university she began appearing on prestigious stages in the United States (Dorothy Chandler Pavilion with the Los Angeles Opera, Pasadena Performing Arts Center and the Mark Taper Forum) and Canada (Ford Theatre for the Performing Arts in Toronto); she also toured Europe (Germany, France and Austria) on tour with The Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers. Sherrita decided to move to New York to devote herself to opera and musical theater where she performed in the highly proclaimed Broadway productions of Showboat and Candide at the Gershwin Theater. Both shows were directed by the legendary Broadway director Hal Prince. She performed in other musical productions at New York City Center “Encores!” She also participated at the Dicapo Opera young artist program and the 'American Singers' Opera Project, a program for young opera singers. Television appearances include Good Morning America, The Tony Awards (Candide) and The Jay Leno Show.

“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 In this second part of my conversation with Lucia Ducci, Director of the College of the Holy Cross’s Florence Program, we continue to speak about Lucia’s journey to where she is right now, the work she is doing with Holy Cross undergraduates in Florence, her research interests, her take on the world today, and hopes for the future. We also take a deeper dive into the inspiring life and legacy of pioneer US expat in Italy Sarah Parker Remond and why her story is so important and relevant today. Biography Lucia Ducci is Director of the Florence Program for the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester Massachusetts, professor of Italian, and a translator. She holds a Ph.D from the University of Florence with a dissertation on the US perception of Italy during the first two decades of the 20th century. She is the author of a book, with Stefano Luconi and Matteo Pretelli, on the relations between Italy and the United States from the Risorgimento to the consequences of 9/11, and of a collection of letters of George Perkins Marsh, first US Ambassador to Italy and father of ecology. Over the last few years, she has focused her research on emancipation and women’s movements. Lucia is also a certified yogi and nlp (neurolinguistic programming) practitioner. She says that the best day of her life was meeting Gloria Steinem and conversing with her. linkedin.com/in/lucia-ducci-b4089b100 https://www.instagram.com/sunflowerfiel29/ Links College of the Holy Cross https://www.holycross.edu/ Holy Cross Program Florence https://www.holycross.edu/engaged-learning/study-abroad/italy/universit%C3%A0-di-firenze University of Florence https://www.unifi.it/vp-11335-welcome-to-unifi.html Sarah Parker Remond Biography https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Parker_Remond Santa Maria Nuova Hospital https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hospital_of_Santa_Maria_Nuova Santa Maria Nuova Foundation https://www.fondazionesantamarianuova.it/ Santa Maria Nuova Museum https://www.fondazionesantamarianuova.it/scopri-il-museo-di-santa-maria-nuova/

The Power of Leaving & Returning, Part 1 featuring Lucia Ducci “So, all these practical or academic challenges that we might encounter or have encountered are really important steps that helped me, that help anybody, who's on this path to grow and to progress, personally and academically; and this is the most important thing, progress, to progress, that you are progressing.” Lucia Ducci This first part of my chat with Lucia Ducci, Director of the Holy Cross College Program in Florence, centers on her journey to the United States, why she went and stayed, and ultimately chose to return to Italy, providing us with a thought-provoking example of reverse brain drain. We also discuss the importance of deliberately living abroad for personal and professional growth, which Lucia sees as a bold and empowering opportunity for women who want to live their lives fully. In addition to her personal narrative, Lucia and I also begin to discuss the riveting story of pioneer US expat Sarah Parker Remond. Sensitive language warning Lucia quotes, directly from historical sources, an Italian appellation given to Sarah Parker Remond during her time in Italy. Remond was an American activist and abolitionist who moved to Italy from England in 1867 to study medicine in Florence. She resided in Italy until her death in 1894. See links below for further information and be sure to tune in to part two of the podcast next week. Biography Lucia Ducci is Director of the Florence Program for the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester Massachusetts, professor of Italian, and a translator. She holds a Ph.D from the University of Florence with a dissertation on the US perception of Italy during the first two decades of the 20th century. She is the author of a book, with Stefano Luconi and Matteo Pretelli, on the relations between Italy and the United States from the Risorgimento to the consequences of 9/11, and of a collection of letters of George Perkins Marsh, first US ambassador to Italy and father of ecology. Over the last few years, she has focused her research on emancipation and women’s movements. Lucia is also a certified yogi and nlp (neurolinguistic programming) practitioner. She says that the best day of her life was meeting Gloria Steinem and conversing with her. linkedin.com/in/lucia-ducci-b4089b100 https://www.instagram.com/sunflowerfiel29/ Links College of the Holy Cross https://www.holycross.edu/ Holy Cross Program Florence https://www.holycross.edu/engaged-learning/study-abroad/italy/universit%C3%A0-di-firenze University of Florence https://www.unifi.it/vp-11335-welcome-to-unifi.html Sarah Parker Remond Biography https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Parker_Remond Santa Maria Nuova Hospital https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hospital_of_Santa_Maria_Nuova Santa Maria Nuova Foundation https://www.fondazionesantamarianuova.it/ Santa Maria Nuova Museum https://www.fondazionesantamarianuova.it/scopri-il-museo-di-santa-maria-nuova/

La Giustizia & Il Futuro, Part 2 featuring Sara Celati  In questa seconda parte della mia chiacchierata con Sara Celati entriamo di più nella sua storia personale, parlando dei suoi prossimi obiettivi, le sue passioni e com’è stato partecipare come concorrente e vincere uno dei game show più amati dagli italiani, l’Eredità.  Continuiamo a riflettere sul lavoro e lo studio, sulle ingiustizie e la giustizia e sul futuro del paese, non solo per i giovani, ma per tutti gli italiani.    Questo episodio è in italiano e fa parte della serie Giovani voci dall’Italia.  Biografia  Sara Celati, 25 anni, studia giurisprudenza all'Università di Pisa. Fin da piccola, ha sviluppato un forte interesse per i temi legati alla giustizia sociale e alla lotta alle discriminazioni. Infatti, è sua intenzione incentrare la tesi di laurea sullo studio del fenomeno delle discriminazioni in ambito lavoristico. Fuori dalle aule universitarie, è una grande appassionata di musica (anni '70-'80), sport (soprattutto il calcio) e gioca a scacchi a livello agonistico. Nel 2022, ha partecipato per 13 puntate al quiz televisivo "L' Eredità", riuscendo a portare a casa un montepremi di €90.000 in gettoni d'oro. Links  Università di Pisa - https://www.unipi.it/index.php/english L’Eredità  Info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%27eredit%C3%A0 Watch: https://www.raiplay.it/programmi/leredita

Season 2, Episode 10 featuring Sara Celati Ovviamente, avendo vissuto sempre in Italia per 25 anni ormai noto più forse gli aspetti negativi di questo paese, li noto molto di più. Magari andando all'estero riesco a rinnamorare del mio paese. Sara Celati In questa prima parte della mia conversazione con Sara Celati, studentessa di giurisprudenza all’Università di Pisa, iniziamo ad affrontare dei temi fondamentali per i giovani in Italia oggi: com’è studiare a un’università pubblica italiana? Quali sono le sfide che i ragazzi devono fronteggiare e come vedono il loro futuro? Dialoghiamo anche sul motivo per cui tanti giovani promesse stanno ancora lasciando il paese per non tornare più. Con Sara discutiamo anche l’importanza di avere accesso e come dobbiamo fare per arrivare finalmente alla parità di genere. Inoltre, esaminiamo delle questioni difficili legate alla giustizia, le ingiustizie e le discriminazioni, e ci chiediamo che cosa deve avvenire per far sì che ci siano dei cambiamenti reali nel paese. Questo episodio è in italiano e fa parte della serie giovani voci dall’Italia Biografia Sara Celati, 25 anni, studia giurisprudenza all'Università di Pisa. Fin da piccola, ha sviluppato un forte interesse per i temi legati alla giustizia sociale e alla lotta alle discriminazioni. Infatti, è sua intenzione incentrare la tesi di laurea sullo studio del fenomeno delle discriminazioni in ambito lavoristico. Fuori dalle aule universitarie, è una grande appassionata di musica (anni '70-'80), sport (soprattutto il calcio) e gioca a scacchi a livello agonistico. Nel 2022, ha partecipato per 13 puntate al quiz televisivo "L' Eredità", riuscendo a portare a casa un montepremi di €90.000 in gettoni d'oro.

Season 2, Episode 9 Accessible Study Abroad: Verto Education’s Winning Model, Part 2 Cristiana Gallai, Florence Center Director, Verto Education In the second part of our two-part conversation, Cristiana Gallai and I dig deeper into the experience of Verto Education’s first year students in Florence, discuss the ins and outs of study abroad, and ask what Florence and Italy still have to offer to our future leaders. We also reflect upon our role as educators, the importance of building community and bridges, and how to ensure that Generation Z students coming to Florence from the world over can be agents of change in the city and in the world. Cristiana Gallai’s Biography Born in the picturesque town of Bergamo in the north of Italy, I was raised in my paternal city of Florence, the place that I call home, the place where I would grow, learn, and discover my passion for international education. From an early age, I was fascinated with foreign languages and cultures that ignited my wanderlust. I embarked on numerous journeys, exploring the diverse tapestry of our global community. During my master’s degree in foreign languages and literature at the University of Florence I joined the Erasmus program for a semester in Paris, France, for a study abroad experience that tested my resilience and resourcefulness. This experience, though far from what I had expected, instilled in me a profound understanding of my own strengths and the importance of support systems in education. I decided to dedicate myself to improving the lives of international students. After a successful tenure at the Florence University of the Arts, where I fulfilled various roles in student affairs and institutional relations, I embarked on a new journey in the fall of 2021. I assumed the role of Florence Center Director for Verto Education, a transformative first-year academic program. I am driven by a deep conviction that education is not only a means of personal and professional growth but also a powerful tool for fostering social inclusion and equity. I envision education as a path to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to participate in a fair and inclusive society. I feel privileged to be able to participate and contribute to this field with my daily work and to mentor future generations of professionals with enthusiasm and commitment. Links Cristiana Gallai, Linkedin Profile linkedin.com/in/cristiana-gallai-4b8139205 Verto Education https://vertoeducation.org/ Verto Florence https://vertoeducation.org/abroad-locations/study-abroad-florence/

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 Born in the picturesque town of Bergamo in the north of Italy, I was raised in my paternal city of Florence, the place that I call home, the place where I would grow, learn, and discover my passion for international education. From an early age, I was fascinated with foreign languages and cultures that ignited my wanderlust. I embarked on numerous journeys, exploring the diverse tapestry of our global community. During my master’s degree in foreign languages and literature at the University of Florence I joined the Erasmus program for a semester in Paris, France, for a study abroad experience that tested my resilience and resourcefulness. This experience, though far from what I had expected, instilled in me a profound understanding of my own strengths and the importance of support systems in education. I decided to dedicate myself to improving the lives of international students. After a successful tenure at the Florence University of the Arts, where I fulfilled various roles in student affairs and institutional relations, I embarked on a new journey in the fall of 2021. I assumed the role of Florence Center Director for Verto Education, a transformative first-year academic program. I am driven by a deep conviction that education is not only a means of personal and professional growth but also a powerful tool for fostering social inclusion and equity. I envision education as a path to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to participate in a fair and inclusive society. I feel privileged to be able to participate and contribute to this field with my daily work and to mentor future generations of professionals with enthusiasm and commitment. Links Cristiana Gallai, Linkedin Profile Verto Education Verto Florence

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❤️ Jill Romanelli, Head Event Planner, Tuscan Wedding Are you dreaming about getting married in Tuscany? Perhaps you’ve already decided that you want a Tuscan destination wedding, but just don’t know where to start? Or maybe you’re a hopeless romantic like me and want to celebrate Valentine’s Day weekend by listening to some fantastic stories about weddings. Whatever the case may be, you won’t want to miss this very special edition of 15 with Fosca, featuring my amazing guest, Jill Romanelli, head event planner at Tuscan Wedding.  Join Jill and me as we speak about her personal journey to Florence, the intricate and multi-faceted nature of her work, and what makes her so special to so many couples. We also chat about timelines and logistics and Jill recounts some curious and fun stories from some of the weddings she’s planned, gives great tips for couples thinking about getting married in Tuscany, and highlights some current and future wedding trends.   Ultimately, we talk a lot about love, and I even call upon her expert skills and witness her process by asking her to plan my imaginary dream destination wedding.  Jill Romanelli’s Biography Greetings!  Meet Jill Romanelli, head event planner at Tuscan Wedding. On any given day, she can be found in project boards and exploring picturesque venues in the Tuscan countryside. Known for her outgoing attitude, sense of humor, and unwavering determination, Jill is committed to transforming couples' dream weddings in Tuscany into a reality. Jill finds joy in every aspect of weddings, meticulously planning each detail. Collaborating with skilled photographers, videographers, venues, florists, and other talented professionals, she ensures a seamless and unforgettable experience for the perfect destination wedding in Italy. For those seeking a planner who not only understands their vision but is also dedicated to bringing it to life, Jill is the ideal choice. Contact her today to embark on the journey of creating the wedding of your dreams in the heart of Tuscany! https://tuscanwedding.com/ https://www.instagram.com/tuscanwedding/

“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    In this second half of our conversation, Justin and I continue to discuss the importance of Black History Month Florence and The Recovery Plan, but things also take a personal turn. Justin recounts more intimate stories about his life experiences and journey to Italy, his art, how inspiring it is to encounter and work with people from all over the world, and the unicity of living in a place where value is put on life, not just work. We also discuss racism and visibility, and how visual culture often tells us more than the written archives can and how to look to art for answers and clues.   We end with some hopes for the future and ruminations about both planning ahead and legacy, the significance of mentoring young artists and creating opportunities for them, sharing space and knowledge, involving and welcoming people, and the need right now for a moment of contemplated and collective reflection that will enable us to move forward and create a better society.       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 https://www.uffizi.it/en/online-exhibitions/on-being-present

“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  Shortly after he returned from a trip to Rome, Florence, and Milan, I sat down for a Zoom chat with Mike Reisman, mixologist, foodie, cook, musician, and first time Italy visitor. This episode covers Mike’s approach to Italy, his professional and personal expectations for the visit, and what ended up impacting him the most.  Once back in Philadelphia, Mike reflects upon solo and off-season travel, making deep connections and forging friendships through cultural curiosity and humility, respect, and openness. We also talk quite a bit about food, wine, and cocktails as well as the importance of honoring and appreciating one’s craft and that of others.  Don’t miss some great stories about Mike’s adventures in Italy, his advice for meeting people and gaining precious cultural insights even if visiting for Italy for the first time, and for a short time.   Mike Reisman Bio.  Mike Reisman runs the bar program at Vernick Food & Drink, one of Philadelphia’s top restaurants, located in the Center City neighborhood. He has years of experience in the food and beverage industry, both in back and front of house, including being a cook in French and New American restaurants, working for a wine producer, and “speakeasy” craft cocktail bartending. This cumulative experience created a well-rounded base of knowledge in food, wine, and spirits. Mike’s travel experience stems largely from being a professional touring and recording musician for primarily Rock and Pop artists including writing and recording for several albums, singles, and sharing bills with famous acts such as Joan Jett & The Blackhearts and Steven Van Zandt & The Disciples of Soul, and The Hooters, as well as appearing in publications such as Rolling Stone Magazine. https://www.instagram.com/mikereisman/ https://www.facebook.com/mike.reisman.39 Links  Vernick Philly  https://vernickphilly.com/