Organizer

The Quiet Immigrant Project
The Quiet Immigrant Project
Website
https://thequietimmigrant.ca/

Location

Columbus Centre
Toronto
Category
QR Code

Date

Jun 16 2022
Expired!

Time

7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Dinner & Comedy Event | The Quiet Immigrant. Femmine Forti.

The Quiet Immigrant Project: From tip to toe, from the island of Sicily and from the small mountainous towns and villages, le femmine forti immigrated.

For many, the journey’s starting point began before even arriving in Canada, their new homeland. For many – 9, 10, 12 days of turbulent travel, celebrating an 18th birthday at sea, kneeling and spontaneously praying for physical and emotional comfort.

Pier 21 served for many, not all, as their first secure ‘point of entry’. Leaving behind family, dear friends, pets, a favoured bicycle, a sewing machine, language, books, food, a Fiat Cinquecento, a cherished armadio, and bringing along their skills as couture seamstresses, hairstylists, teachers, and culinary connoisseurs to roll up their sleeves both figuratively and literally as they worked in manufacturing factories of spices, wool, bras, toys, uniforms, barbeques, and cookies, as well as cleaning and caring for other womens’ homes and children. 

‘La mancanza’ for home transitioned into a new home sweet or not so home sweet home, now for many for well over 60 years — in towns, cities, and provinces across this country. The lifelong journey is the immigrant experience.  

A homage to the brave Italian women who immigrated to Canada after WW2 and through sheer strength of character,  with neither fanfare nor complaint wove their way into the fabric of society. Their stories of strength, courage, determination, and sacrifice are sure to move, amuse, and captivate.  A multifaceted, multimedia, and multilayered legacy piece, 

With purpose and grace, we honor, pay tribute to, and celebrate this generation of ‘journeywomen.’  ‘Stories are the proof of life, sharing is necessary: mamma and papà lontano, cara figlia, “aiutati che Dio t’aiuta.” Family was grounding, the church was saving and comforting after all ‘il signore lo sa’, and the property was security. 

Le Femmine Forti worked hard and were honest, shared coats, wondered if the moon was the same, ‘castagne era il nostro pane’ (chestnuts was our bread), made do with iceberg lettuce – ‘if I can’t cry, I can’t eat’.

Join us safely on May 5th at Columbus Centre for a night of food and people celebrating all our “femmine forti”.