Since 1989, October has been known as Italian American Heritage and Culture Month in the United States. It is a time to celebrate the numerous contributions that the ethnic group has made to the country, and the White House did just that during an Italian American Heritage Month Reception hosted by Dr. Jill Biden.
The first lady of the United States opened the night with her remarks, expressing her gratitude for the National Italian American Foundation and appreciation for her Italian roots. She noted how she learned what it means to be Italian American in her grandparents’ tiny kitchen, and how “when you’re Italian American, there’s always room for one more chair at the table — enough bread toast to feed one more guest, enough space in our hearts for another friend to become like family.” The FLOTUS also touched on the values she has brought to the White House as the first Italian American first lady which were instilled in her by her grandparents, such as “love, abundance, and service.”
From there, Dr. Biden turned the mic over to her husband and 46th President of the United States, Joe Biden. President Biden spoke about being around Italian Americans during his upbringing in Delaware, recalling how his neighbor would tell him “It’s not sauce. It’s gravy, Joey.” Additionally, the commander in chief reminded the crowd that he was the recipient of the Sons of Italy Man of the Year award in 2009, the only non-Italian to ever receive this honor.
Biden also acknowledged the role of the Italian American community in his presidency, stating, “I can honestly say I wouldn’t be president without you. I wouldn’t be president without the Italian American community.”
“This month is about celebrating the extraordinary contributions and proud heritage of Italian Americans to our nation. And it’s kind of endless,” said Biden. “For some of our families, your story is America’s story. It stretches back generations. For others, it just started. These stories of immigrants who left everything behind to travel across the ocean in pursuit of the American dream just for a shot — just a simple shot. You and your ancestors worked hard to help build this country and build the middle class.”
The Bidens weren’t the only people in the room with millions of followers on social media, though. Several Italian American influencers received invitations from the presidential couple to attend the reception, most notably Meals by Cug and Carlo & Sarah alongside the likes of Danielle Caminiti, Anthony Sciarratta, and Nicolette Lollino.
As the end of Italian American Heritage and Culture Month draws closer, let us all join together in celebrating our Italian ancestors and the sacrifices they made to make America great.
