Page 5 - Columbia News -Sept. 2022

ITALIAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH
Benvenuti! (Welcome!) Italian-American Heritage Month is an annual designation observed in October. During this time, we celebrate the Italian-American culture, and spread the word about the traditions that come with it. Italian- Americans have made many contributions to the U.S., especially in art, humanities, and sciences. In 1880, Italians began migrating to the U.S. to flee rural poverty in Southern Italy and Sicily, and today, Americans of Italian descent are the nations fifth-largest ethnic group.
The heritage month is in October to coincide with Columbus Day — the national holiday celebrated on the second Monday of the month. Italian-American Heritage Month celebrates the distin- guished cultural contributions of Americans with Italian lineage.
This is month to honor the 18 million Americans of Italian descent who have brought their vivacious, fun, and tasty culture to America.
If you have Italian in you, make sure your family history, traditions, and values stay alive! Tell stories that have been passed down, show old pictures, and (our personal favorite) cook up a big traditional Italian meal! Many Italian-American families have meaningful accounts of hardships, discovery and drive that brought them to where they are today. Take your children, grandchildren, friends, and other family members
on a cultural journey.
Believe it or not, it’s actually National Pasta Month and National Pizza Month as well... so if you’re looking for the right time in your life to start cutting out carbs, now’s not the time.
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