Welcome back to the
Portside Pride Special Edition of the
Daily Diviner! This is the first year that Portovenere is hosting a Pride festival, and there is a lot of excitement surrounding it. This festival would not have been possible without the Portovenere City Council, so I took it upon myself to interview these people. Now, let’s jump into the interviews!
Starting off with the Mayor of Portovenere, I spoke with
Giulia Rossi. She is a very bubbly woman and when interviewed was thrilled to give her insight on why they chose to do the Pride festival this year!
Why did Portovenere choose to host a Pride festival this year?
“Thank you very much for asking! Portovenere is an incredibly accepting and passionate place, and I believe hosting a Pride festival is riiight up our alley! Our residents are of all orientations and genders, and I would love to bring forth such a momentous and accepting event to our town and showcase all that Portovenere has to offer!”
What does Pride mean to you?
“What Pride means to me? Oh! Pride means… so, so much to me! It is a way for myself and others to express ourselves and celebrate who we are. Pride and the ability to proudly and openly state that we are members of the LGBTQ+ community has a long, complex history that we are actively a part of today. We still have a lot to go, but Pride is a representation of all we have been through, all we are, and all we will be. Together!”
Second, I spoke to Giulia’s right-hand man,
Jacopo Abate. Jacopo is Giulia’s secretary and, though he is very busy, was able to chip out a bit of time to give us the insider scoop on the challenges and triumphs of preparing for the festival.
Can you tell us about what it was like preparing for the festival?
“Ah- Yes… Yes. It was quite the, erm, stressful process, but I was delighted to be a part of it. The town really stepped up to the challenge, which- which took much of the burden off me! My poor home is just… just full of papers and documents and ink… I’m going to be stained for days, but I know we are all so… proud of our work. I cannot wait to see everyone else, too.”
What does Pride mean to you?
“Pride is… symbolic of hope and triumph. I had quite a turbulent childhood, but Pride was always a place of comfort and familiarity. When I came out as gay and was accepted into the community, I felt such a… a feeling of comfort and trust. Pride is a family, and I am… so proud to be part of it and welcome all those who are in it.”
Next, I spoke to
Caterina Bonetti, who owns and manages the flower shop in town called Mimì. When I spoke with her, her passion for gardening was glowing through her words. She spoke very quickly and had a lot to say.
What was your contribution to the preparation of the festival?
“AH! I was WAITING for this question! Okay, okay. I’m a gardener! I’m the owner of Mimì, the local flower shop in Portovenere, and I am in charge of ALL our greenhouses! Soo, obviously, I grew SO manypla- Sorry, my words, I grew SO. Many. Plants for Pride! Some of the flowers you see around the festival? Me and my shop! You guys should COME CHECK US OUT! It was an absolutehonor- Absolute. Honor to assist with the festival!”
What does Pride mean to you?
“Acceptance! Family! Love! Pride is just such a BEAUTIFUL thing all around, and it makes me so happy to see my fellow LGBTQ+ peeps celebrating and really being themselves together. AH. My heart just SQUEEZES ANDIGETSOEXCITED- Sorry. I get. So excited, and I feel almost buzzing from it! It really means love for ourselves, for others, and that we can love who we love and love who we are no matter the odds!”
Following Caterina, I was able to speak with
Ines Farin, who owns and manages the restaurant called Osteria d’Orgoglio. Ines loves cooking and had clearly found her home in the kitchen. When I interviewed her, she insisted on talking in the kitchen so she could continue to roll out pastry dough while she answered my questions.
What was your contribution to the preparation of the festival?
“My contribution to this year’s Pride festival was many of the lovely baked goods and delicious foods you will find yourself snacking on. Not now, however. These are for the festival, so do not eat them. As you can see, my work doesn’t stop as I prepare extra goods. It was truly a pleasure to create my edible art for the Pride festival we are hosting.”
What does Pride mean to you?
“Time. In my old age, I have witnessed many different parts of LGBTQ+ history, and I have known so many who are still with us and not. As a pansexual and trans woman, I have overcome many challenges in my life, but time has shown that we have the ability to grow. To change. To love. Pride means time that has come and gone, and what we will go through in the future. It is my hope that I and others in our community can stand strong together, nurturing each other and the youth. We are a community for a reason, and we must support each other - even when no one else will.”
Lastly, I spoke with
Emanuele Macini, who owns and manages the Art Shop called La Mostra di Sogni. Emanuele was very reserved and spoke relatively softly, but the words that they spoke were very meaningful. After the interview, they sent me off with a beautiful flower bracelet that they had woven while we chatted.
What was your contribution to the preparation of the festival?
“I… helped grow the flora around the festival. At… La Mostra di Sogni. I wanted to bring forth the life we… we see in our community shine through the flowers.”
What does Pride mean to you?
“It means… acceptance. I feel so… respected and loved by my community. They showed me it is okay to be non-binary and… and I want others to feel that way too. I was taught to… to nurture myself like a seed that will blossom into a beautiful flower. Pride is about… accepting the different variations of flowers and loving which one we are. We are all… beautiful.”
I want to extend a huge thank you to all five members of Portovenere’s City Council for taking the time to answer my questions. I hope everyone enjoys the fabulous festival that they have put on! This was
chail3y reporting for the
Daily Diviner, and I hope you enjoy the rest of this issue!