They dodged us. They sidestepped. They made excuses that didn't hold water. But our "hyena" wouldn't let go. We chased them down, and though they resisted, they finally gave in—and told us their stories. On the occasion of our 100th issue, the editors of Ombre e Luci agreed to sit for an interview. Not a double interview, but a quadruple one! Note: The editors were interviewed separately from one another.
Name
Cristina Tersigni
Huberta Pott
Laura Nardini
Mariangela Bertolini
In the newsroom since
C: 2003, with the special Fede e Luce issue
H: Around 1992
L: September 2004
M: From the beginning—1983.
Three words for daily life in the newsroom
C: Feminine, essential, varied
L: Familiar, fun, engaging
H: Intense, lively, full of surprises
M: Warm, sometimes fun, a bit chaotic
How would you describe the office itself?
C: Damp
H: From outside "wow!" From inside, you're spooked
L: Lived-in
M: Warm, inviting, fun—but logistically precarious
Do you know how the office was furnished?
C: I imagine from leftovers brought by everyone who's ever worked here
H: Pieces from various homes: the green table came from Mariangela's house, that shelving from mine…
L: I think it's all hand-me-downs from relatives and friends
M: (laughs) We asked around and bought some bookshelves and cabinets here and there. A real mixed bag!
Which part of the office do you like best?
C: The central room
H: The central table, because it's the most creative space. We've held all our meetings, discussions, conversations there—we still do
L: The computer desk next to the bookshelf. Those books are from people who've worked here; they're symbols of where we draw the ideas we believe in—writers, educators, Jean Vanier
M: The central table. For 24 years I've sat at that table and I can't bring myself to leave it
In the newsroom I get angry when…
C: …people think I'm offended…
H: …there's no clarity
L: …there's too much clutter and you can't find anything
M: …I feel we're doing things superficially, when I sense we're paying more attention to our own ideas than our readers' needs.
In the newsroom I'm happy when…
C: …there's a chance to open my heart and mind to things I'd never otherwise discover
H: …I feel our ideas have been useful to our readers
L: …there's a break—those five minutes when we check in with each other. I feel welcomed
M: …an issue is complete; when I've finished the editorial; when we hear from mothers and fathers who warm our hearts.
What's your favorite task for the magazine?
C: Receiving articles from readers and finding the best place for them in the issue
H: Writing features and visiting conferences or group homes; maintaining relationships with families, like in that "Midnight Phone Call" column we ran
L: Reading and reviewing books—it's a chance to discover interesting texts and share them; visiting a place and telling readers about it
H: Finding beautiful, worthwhile initiatives and experiences across Italy, often hidden from view
Two words for each of your colleagues
C: Huberta, enthusiastic and optimistic; Laura, sensible; Mariangela, intuitive and direct
H: Cristina, steel-trap memory and tough; Laura, tech-savvy and knows her stuff; Mariangela, charismatic and pushes for excellence
L: Cristina, responsive and attentive; Huberta, instinctive and playful; Mariangela, historically minded and unpredictable
M: Huberta, creative and close to parents' struggles; Cristina, efficient at tasks she's taught herself and generous in taking them on; Laura brings fresh air and is eager to give her best.
A funny moment that happened here
C: Every time mothers have come visit with their children—those are always nice moments
H: When the delegation from Ombres & Lumière came—the French mother magazine. We knew their offices were in a beautiful art nouveau building and that they run a real company. We were terrified. We didn't even know where to seat them! We dismantled a bookshelf to create a bench on top of boxes of old issues. We stuck a nameplate on the door—there was nothing there!—by cutting the magazine's title from an old issue and gluing it to the door
L: When the Ombres & Lumière staff visited, the last-minute cleanup and how we scrambled to feed them
M: The French magazine's visit in 2001
What are the critical phases in putting out an issue?
C: Imagining it. The initial construction of the issue, and then chasing down an article from a freelancer
H: At the start, when the completed issue goes to print and you have to begin thinking about the next one
L: Getting the right focus for an issue—in the initial phase you have to agree on the theme
M: Inventing a new issue
One thing to improve
C: Our IT systems
H: We should invest more in advertising and distribution, do public relations at conferences, get the word out, with real economic backing
L: Streamline our work through better overall organization. And improve the office and our technical equipment
M: Be more efficient without getting lost in (pleasant) chatter
About your work here, you don't understand why…
C: …it doesn't appeal to as many people as I'd hope
H: …we can't be like Ombres & Lumière
L: …so many people tell me they receive the magazine but then only read superficially, because when I talk to them they criticize articles they haven't even really read
M: …it's still so little known
O.L. and modern technology
C: Frustrating
H: (laughs) Stone age
L: A bit lacking
M: (laughs) Everything to learn. But I don't want the magazine managed entirely by computer. I'm afraid the result would feel cold.
An article that took real effort
C: Eight out of ten articles require effort
H: A piece about a large institution outside Rome. It was well done, but the sheer scale of the place disoriented me, and that came through in my writing
L: When I had to cover the autism conference in Ostuni for the magazine. Everything was very technical, and simplifying the language while keeping the content intact wasn't easy
M: Generally, when we tackle themes touching on Christian philosophy and worry about causing resentment, or when we try to address moral questions without causing irritation.
Imagine the newsroom receives a substantial donation. What do you do with it?
H: Expand the magazine's pages and boost distribution. Hire more editors and invest in getting the word out
C: Give it to the last mother who wrote to us with her struggles
L: Fix up the office—like that crack in the next room from the landslide…
M: A real renovation of the newsroom. Then we'd raise pay for our staff and invest in wider distribution.
What do you see as O.L.'s mission today?
C: Reach as many people as possible touched by disability and help build awareness and sensitivity
H: Provide a channel for families to share their stories, make requests, voice their frustrations. Continue offering services and information about helpful initiatives and places
L: Keep alive the thread of connection we've built with so many people over the years—it matters to them. Stir reflection in people about disability
M: Keep supporting families of disabled children, helping them see their son or daughter not as a tragedy but as an unforeseen gift. And for others, create closeness with struggles they don't know and with people who are usually invisible.
- Your hyena Cristina Ventura, 2007