San Francisco Little Italy Honor Walk in North Beach to Immortalize and Honor Italians and Italian Americans in Bronze

October 4th Events Celebrate the Installation of the First Plaque for Former Mayor George Moscone.

San Francisco, CA – October 4, 2024 – The San Francisco Little Italy Honor Walk, Inc. (SFLIHW), along with the Consulate General of Italy in San Francisco, proudly announces the launch of the organization, celebrating the enduring contributions of Italians and Italian Americans in North Beach’s Little Italy. A path of bronze plaques will be set around Washington Square in North Beach, and a companion app will provide a walking tour for locals and tourists. Events celebrating the installation of the first plaque commence in October.

October 4th Events:

●      11:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M. - 600 Union St., SF: The unveiling of former Mayor Moscone’s plaque will take place at Washington Square, attended by Mayor London Breed, the Consul General of Italy, Sergio Strozzi, and SFLIHW President, Jennifer Consalvi-Hodges.

●      6:00 P.M.- 8:00 P.M. - 710 Sansome St., SF: Moscone’s plaque unveiling will be followed by “The Legacy of George Moscone”, reflections by Lincoln Mitchell and memories by James Molinari, a special event at INNOVIT (Italian Innovation and Culture Hub). Register for this complimentary event by Friday, September 27th at https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/gqjp6dk

“As Consul General of Italy, I aim to broaden American perspectives on Italian contributions beyond traditional sectors, such as fashion, tourism, design, and cars. By emphasizing innovation, tech, and cultural impact through the new Italian Innovation and Culture Hub INNOVIT, we aim to redefine Italy's global image in the influential San Francisco Bay Area,” said Consul General Sergio Strozzi. “Through the San Francisco Italian Heritage Walk, we celebrate and enrich Italian-American heritage in North Beach. Historians and volunteers have researched and selected notable Italians and Italian Americans from 1855 to 2021 who will be honored with bronze plaques in the North Beach neighborhood. These plaques recognize significant contributions to politics, culture, science, technology, business, social assistance, entertainment, and more. Today, I am pleased to announce the launch of a companion mobile app developed with COM.IT.ES. SF, which will bring these honoree stories to life through an educational walking tour for locals and tourists, enhancing understanding of Italian-American heritage.”

“As we embark on this exciting journey to educate visitors, we are not just preserving history; we are paying tribute to visionaries and breathing life into the stories of those individuals who have come before us and shaped our past,” said Jennifer Consalvi-Hodges, SFLIHW President. “Our mission is to ensure that the voices, struggles, and triumphs of those who shaped the Italian-American landscape in the Bay Area are celebrated and remembered. Through our organization’s efforts and collaboration with the Italian Consulate’s Consul General Sergio Strozzi, we will uncover hidden narratives, honor unsung heroes, and give future generations a deeper understanding of where we came from and who we are.”

SFLIHW announced its first two honorees, former Mayor George R. Moscone and Dr. Mariana Bertola, an esteemed physician, and philanthropist, at the San Francisco Italian Athletics Club (SFIAC) Foundation’s Festa Italiana on June 1, 2024, and at the Festa della Repubblica Italiana on June 4, 2024. The plaque commemorating Dr. Bertola will be unveiled on November 8, preceded by a symposium honoring her on the evening of November 7. The third plaque, for Father Raffaele Piperni, will be unveiled on November 10. Additional plaques will follow, including ones dedicated to A.P. Giannini and Joe DiMaggio.

SFLIHW has identified 13 distinguished individuals to honor based on their contributions to art, business, culture, entertainment, politics, science, social assistance, science, and technology. The community is invited to recommend additional honorees through its website, www.sflittleitaly.us/. The organization aims to secure further funding to continue honoring these exceptional individuals and educating the public about their contributions.

Special thanks go to SFLIHW advisory board members Simone Mazzetto, who has served as the Art Director designing the organization’s logo, plaques, and website; Sharon Meagher, who collaborated on the initial concept along with Consul General Strozzi and Mrs. Consalvi-Hodges. Through Mr. Strozzi’s vision to support Italy’s scientific and technological achievements and offerings—past, present, and future—all Italian cultural organizations involved in the project are working to build a legacy for both Italians and Italian-Americans alike.

The San Francisco Little Italy Honor Walk Inc. was promoted and supported by the Italian Consulate General to unite various Italian and Italian American organizations in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. The founding organizations include COM.IT.ES. SF, Italian Community Services, Italian Heritage Celebration, Inc., the Bay Area chapter of Italian Scientists and Scholars in North America Foundation, Le Donne d’Italia, the Museo Italo Americano, the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club, and the iTAL Foundation, Silicon Valley Italian Executive Council.

High-resolution images and additional project details are available upon request.

For more information about the San Francisco Little Italy Honor Walk Inc., please visit www.sflittleitaly.us/, email contact@sflittleitaly.us

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About San Francisco Little Italy Honor Walk: Founded in 2023 under the auspices of the Consulate General of Italy in San Francisco, the San Francisco Little Italy Honor Walk, Inc., (SFLIHW) celebrates, preserves, and enriches Italian-American heritage and culture in San Francisco's Little Italy in North Beach. Its mission is to honor the voices, struggles, and triumphs of those who shaped this vibrant community. The bronze plaques, situated on the sidewalks of North Beach, will form the San Francisco Little Italy Honor Walk, starting from the lively core of Washington Square, along Columbus Street and Broadway Avenue, and running along some adjacent streets. In addition to the physical plaques, honorees will have comprehensive profiles detailing their lives and contributions, which are available on a free app developed by COM.IT.ES. SF. The app will provide text in both English and Italian.

All plaque unveilings will be open to the public, inviting community members to celebrate the remarkable legacies of these honorees.