OL Meets…
"Regardless of their race, ethnicity, faith, identity, or disability": people with disabilities found their place in the opening words of newly inaugurated U.S. President Joe Biden. An important acknowledgment of the most vulnerable in a nation tasked with healing its wounds and charting a fresh course toward full civil rights. A universal path marked by figures like Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, and… Niccolò. "Why Niccolò?" asks Enrica Riera, and the question haunts her until finally—in a working-class neighborhood of Rende, a small Calabrian town—she receives her answer directly from the man who officially inserted the autistic boy into the history of civil rights by painting him on a ten-story building. From that question springs this month's O&L meeting with Jorit, a renowned figure in urban art.
When School Truly Welcomes
Writer Giulia Alberico shares an episode from her long career as a teacher, introducing us to Francesca, the "discordant" student she encountered at a language-focused high school in 2007—though no one had formally introduced them. Stubborn, attentive, and thorough, Alberico finds her way to connect with the girl, a path not always easy but extraordinarily rewarding, yet another proof that things work thanks to people who are both intelligent and kind-hearted. But what becomes of students with difficulties who lack this great fortune?
Book of the Month
And with a question, too, began Cristina Tersigni's acquaintance with Andrea Bonsignori. It was 2018, and the young priest at the Cottolengo in Turin was presenting at a seminar—organized by Redattore Sociale—the enterprise that employs young people with autism in the Piedmont capital. That experience is now told in the book Il coraggio di essere uguali (Ets), written with Marco Ferrando, just arrived in bookstores.
In the Next Issue of Ombre e Luci
"An act of freely given willingness to welcome": that is how Antonio Mazzarotto sums up what must drive every adoption, in an article where he focuses in particular—as the social policy expert he is—on the adoption of children with "special educational needs." An intervention that clarifies a topic about which there is much confusion, and one that concludes the focus of the fourth issue of Ombre e Luci (arriving in your homes) dedicated precisely to these adoptions "probably mad in the world's eyes," as Cristina Tersigni writes in the editorial. The stories of Maurizio, Alba, and Artur—told by Paolo Catapano, Giulia Galeotti, and Dorota Swat—are paradigmatic because they reveal surprising life paths. We offer you a preview of the third, that of Artur and his extraordinary mother, Sister Małgorzata. O&L opens with an interview with Giampiero Griffo, president of the Italian disability and development network, who describes himself as "a defender of human rights." Laura Coccia begins the education section, reflecting on what single-desk classrooms might teach us, and Monica Leggeri, seeking to answer the vital question of what exists after school for young people with disabilities, introduces the Roman association "Il Colibrì." While Lucia Casella reveals what that mysterious presence is that Fede e Luce calls Carnet de Route, it is Claudio Cinus who introduces the film 37 seconds by Hikari. All this, and much, much more—including a wonderful surprise: because—as you will see—the Open Dialogue of this issue welcomes a letter from one of the most beloved personalities in our country, and a reader of Ombre e Luci….
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Drawing by Annachiara, 12 and a half years old, eighth grade in Cuneo.
Benedetta's Blog
What (Sometimes) It Takes to Be Understood
I got really, really angry. I said lots of bad words. And I even yelled. I protested a lot. Why? Because my grandmother fell and I really didn't want that! No! Do you get it? While Dad and Mom were picking her up because she fell, I was saying bad words because I didn't want to see Grandma hurt on the ground. Keep reading…Post of the Month
Fede e Luce Life
With the new regulations, it has become nearly impossible for our communities to resume their small-group gatherings. In October, however, the Fidenza community—which had already promptly organized to meet "on alternate Sundays"—elected new leaders while respecting anti-contagion guidelines. In Massa Carrara too, the San Pietro d'Avenza community managed to gather, dividing into small groups. The worsening of the pandemic prompted Fr. Marco Bove to resume his #CloserFromApart video series: this time our international assistant guides us through the twelve appointments of the 2021 Carnet. We invite you to share this treasure, continuing the journey together especially in such a difficult moment. For more news, follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
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