On October 11th and 12th, UBC’s Department of French, Hispanic and Italian Studies will be hosting two talks that explore the relationship between Italian-Canadians and Indigenous Peoples, and the intersections of queerness and Italian-Canadian identity.
The talks will be presented by special guests Paolo Frascà, Angela Nardozi, Licia Canton, and Monica Meneghetti.
Indigenous-Italian-Canadian Connections
October 11 | 3:00-4:30 PM | Buchanan Tower, Room 726
What are some histories of contact between Indigenous Peoples and Italian-Canadians? How have Italian-Canadians contributed to the European colonial project on Turtle Island? What are some paths forward and what are the responsibilities that Italian-Canadians have toward Indigenous Peoples and Nations? Come learn about the Indigeous-Italian-Canadian Connections project. Join us to reflect on these and more questions about the role of Italian migrants and their descendants on Turtle Island.
Paolo Frascà, PhD (he/they) is a settler-immigrant from Calabria who teaches in the Department of Italian Studies at the University of Toronto. His current work focusses on the relationship between Italian-Canadians and Indigenous Peoples, on the intersections of queerness and Italian-Canadian identity, and on Italian Studies pedagogy.
Angela Nardozi, OCT, PhD (she/her) is a guest on Turtle Island, with both sides of her family originating in Italy. She is a Lecturer at the Ontario, Institute for Studies in Education, St. Francis Xavier University, and Brock University, where her main focuses are teacher education, Indigenous education, and research skills. Her passion for working alongside Indigenous communities began in 2008, after living and working in a Treaty Three First Nation.
Register for Indigenous-Italian-Canadian Connections
Registration is now closed.
Queer Italian-Canadian Artists
October 12 | 1:30-3:00 PM | Buchanan Tower, Room 726
What are the experiences of LGBTQ+ Italian-Canadians? How have the traditional values of Italian-Canadian communities often led to the marginalization of their queer members? What are the contributions of queer Italian-Canadians to Italian-Canadian cultural and social life? Join us to reflect on these and more questions about the intersections of queer and migrant identities and how they can affect the creative process.
Paolo Frascà, PhD (he/they) is a settler-immigrant who teaches in the Department of Italian Studies at the University of Toronto. His current work focusses on the relationship between Italian-Canadians and Indigenous Peoples, on the intersections of queerness and Italian-Canadian identity, and on Italian Studies pedagogy.
Licia Canton, PhD (she/her) is founding editor-in-chief of Accenti Magazine, director of Creative Spaces: Queer and Italian Canadian (2021), editor of the groundbreaking Here & Now: An Anthology of Queer Italian-Canadian Writing, author of The Pink House and Other Stories (2018).
Monica Meneghetti (she/they) is author of What the Mouth Wants: A Memoir of Food, Love and Belonging (Lambda finalist & Bi Book Award winner), translator of the Québecois novel The Fifth: A Love(s) Story (2022 ReLit Award finalist) and of Italian adventure memoir The Call of the Ice (Banff Mountain Book Award finalist).
Register for Queer Italian-Canadian Artists
Registration is now closed.
If you have questions, contact Dr. Gaoheng Zhang (gaoheng.zhang@ubc.ca).
