Italian American Stories — Frank Di Piero

In my second interview with Frank Di Piero, host of “Keeping it Real with Frankie D”, we discuss his two great children’s books “My Big Family” and “Teddy Bianco Goes to Italy”. We also talk about his series called “The Italian American Moment” where he tells the stories of our unsung heroes.

Frank Di Piero was born in Chicago and is 100% Italian origin. He has traveled to Italy many times and attended two study abroad programs in Italy, one in Roma and one in Firenze. He is the former President of The Harlem Avenue Italian & American Business Association and was on the committee to start an Italian American Studies Program at Loyola University Chicago. He is a Director of Casa Italia, and LITTLE ITALY Cenetta. He is on the committee of the Festa della Repubblica celebrated at Pompeii Church. He is a Chicago area representative of C.T.I.M., Comitato Tricolore per gli Italiani nel Mondo. He is a volunteer at Casa Italia Library and the Italian Cultural Center. He is a member of the Italian Catholic Federation, Chicago Branch 392. He is the former Sergeant at Arms of the J.C.C.I.A. He also has been a proud and active supporter of The Balbo Monument and the Columbus holiday and statue. He is a former director of Italidea-Midwest. He has performed with (IATC), the Italian American Theatre of Chicago. He is a former committee member of the Columbus Queen Contest in Chicago. He has organized and sponsored a seminar on Italian aviation and a cultural dance for young Italian Americans as well as Italian language classes for the youth and an Italian Community Mass at OLMC. He attended the 54th annual Italian American Studies Association (IASA) conference in Pittsburgh, PA in October 2022. He has lived his entire life around the North Harlem Avenue area. He has been married for more than 31 years to his wife Ivana (who was born in Calabria, Italy) and together they have 2 children.

italianamericanlife.com