East Boston's Italia Unita will hold their 13th annual Italian Festival this coming weekend in the neighborhood's Central Square area. Having been away from the city for a few years I missed recent incarnations of the festival, so I plan to attend and take some photos this year. As in the past, I'm sure that most of the food prices will be outrageous. Unfortunately, many vendors see this as an excuse to rip people off. However, the fun is seeing people I haven't seen in years.In today's Globe, Kevin Cullen notes that former Boston mob boss Jerry Angiulo will be in for quite a surprise when he returns to the North End in September after completing a 24-year jail term. Fewer than 30 percent of that neighborhood's residents are of Italian descent, according to census date that Cullen cites. The North End, by virtue of its European-style street layout, plentiful restaurants and short walk to downtown and the financial district, is extremely desirable to young people with money. (Photo above is from the North End celebration of Italy's World Cup victory last summer.)
Eastie, if I remember correctly, is around 50% Italian American. This neighborhood also presents convenience to the city via car or subway, as well as a killer view from Maverick or parts of Jeffries Point, so we have our share of young professionals, but this community's bread-and-butter has always been immigrants looking for a foothold on a better life. English, Irish and Jewish immigrants came in waves before the Italians, and now waves of South and Central Americans follow the same path.
For a look back at the impact of Italian culture in this city there is The Boston Italians, a book written by Stephen Puleo that was published earlier this year. I have not read the book -- and I was unable to attend Puleo's reading at the Orient Heights Branch Library -- but I've read good things about it.
There was a time when it seemed that all of the political leaders in city and state were of Irish descent and that South Boston had an unfair amount of influence, but recently we've had an Italian American governor (Cellucci) and senate president (Travaglini), and we still have an Italian American mayor (Menino) and house speaker (DiMasi), and the Globe and Herald seem to be filled with stories about East Boston. The winds do shift, and there will come a time in the not-too-distant future when Latinos will hold many of the key political offices. That's the way of the world.
Ciao.
1 comment:
I don't have aproblem with the Latinos in Easite. My problem is that families are being pushed out by these luxury condos that Mayor Menino is pushing so hard for. So far, I've only heard one candidate with an actual PLAN to preserve and expand affordable housing and provide more affordable home ownership opportunities.Guess who it is? Gloribell Mota. And that is one T and not two. Would I mind voting for a Latina? No. In fact, I like what the kid is saying, but it really hurts that we had the Senate President, House Speaker and Mayor and this is still happening to our community. Sal has been a major disappointment and although i still like Anthony, he voted against closing the tax loopholes for businesses a year and a half ago. we could have had that money now. The next person to represent us in the state house better have a plan for affordable housing and affordable home ownership.
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