Italian Cultural Center: Tribute to Co-Founder Graziella Spinelli

 

Often in life, great things are created by chance.  Not the chance found in lady luck, but the chance created by perfect timing and someone; one’s decision to open a door and allow another to act out their passion and desire by creating greatness with unexpected and overwhelming results.

 

Such is the latter with Graziella Spinelli, co-founder of the Italian Cultural Center.  Born and raised in Milan, Lombardy, Italy, upon graduating from the University of Bologna, Graziella immigrated to San Diego in 1969.  Her desire and passion was language and to teach her native Italian to San Diegans however, she was not met with the same enthusiasm or conviction from the community, as was told there was no interest or request for Italian, Spanish only.   

 

That was until one day in 1971, when she met Mr. Stewart, Director from Midway Adult Education, who informed Graziella, “I believe there’s little to no interest, but let’s give it a shot.  If the students enroll, you have a class, if they don‘t, you don’t.” She was given two classes.  One in the morning and one in the afternoon, two times a week.  Much to the Director’s surprise and Graziella’s delight, the classes were packed full!   

 

After two years of creating, designing and implementing curriculum, soon after, all adult education centers in San Diego were offering Italian courses as part of their program taught by Graziella where she remained for five years. 

 

In 1976, she changed from adult education and focused her efforts on colleges, where again, she broke new ground starting at Southwestern College, developing and implementing curriculum, and expanded programs teaching at Grossmont College, Mesa College, Mira Costa College, San Diego State University, and University of San Diego.

 

Many advanced students were requesting a conversation only class.  One of Graziella’s students, Teresa De Santi, along with her husband, suggested to meet once a week and offered their home as the place to meet.  After three to four months, the student body quickly grew from three, to five to eight to twenty people and soon the number of students had outgrown Teresa’s home.

 

Teresa, well known in the community, suggested they talk to Father Marconi at Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Little Italy, who Graziella recalls as being very nice, kind and excited about the idea of providing Italian lessons and culture to the community and provided them with the adjacent building as their new home.

 

Together in 1981, Graziella and Teresa filed for nonprofit status and founded the Italian Cultural Center.  They had no money, but at least they had a place where they started lessons and charged very little to students while the teachers volunteered their time and worked for free.  Slowly but surely, they built on their success, adding a secretary, built an office and watched the ICC grow into a successful and popular place to learn in a pleasant and relaxed environment.  Graziella’s focus and emphasis has always been on conversation while making grammar practical and intriguing while students learn to speak, listen, write and read Italian. 

 

Today, much of the current curriculum has grown with the times providing students with special classes such as history, geography, culture, lectures, film, events, in addition to beginner to advanced classes all taught by native Italian teachers who share and continue to teach with the same passion and desire as started by Graziella who actively sits on the board of directors.

 

The next summer semester begins July 8, with enrollment open from June 1.  For registration, class schedule, information and more, visit their web site at www.icc-sd.org or call 619-237-0601.