Science is not an Opinion Remembering Raffaela & Smart Italian Women Celebrating International Women’s Day

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Raffaela Natale – Far Left – Nusco, P. Avelino – Science Competition Winners 1937

Joanne Natale Spigonardo

March 8, 2024

Happy International Women’s Day! I wanted to celebrate my Mother, Raffaela DellaVecchia Natale as part of this day. She was a smart Italian woman.

In 1937 Italy was dominated by Fascist principles and programs. One of the programs was to promote education to young girls. Among the horrendous toxic environment of Facism, the movement for educating women was progressive, especially in the sciences and it benefited the girls in Italy. One of them was my Mother, Raffaela DellaVecchia Natale. She lived in a remote village in Southern Italy, Nusco, Province Avellino which is in the Apennine Mountains. The town was basically a small rural area with its main economy being agriculture.

My Mother was one of the few women to continue her studies, as many only went to the primary grades. She was mostly proficient in Math and Science, and one of her most relevant quotes was, “Science is Not an Opinion”. Mom believed that proven facts were the foundation of good decisions. Raffaela won the competition for her general knowledge of Science. Her parents encouraged her to study, and because of this she was able to pass her knowledge to her family. Her love of learning was carried out through her life, and she was always proud when we did well in school. She would always say it’s easy to be pretty, but hard to be smart, she would say that you have to constantly work hard to learn.

Raffaela DellaVecchia Natale, 1937

Among her many talents, Mom was an outstanding baker. The main reason is that there is chemistry involved in baking, she was precise in her calculations, and made some of the best cookies and cakes in our area. She was very creative, and made dresses, curtains, pillows and blankets all without a pattern. She was just able to figure it out, and could always solve problems easily. She loved to read and tell stories, and she loved to write about her experiences during the war. Mom was practical and said there was always a solution to any difficulty. I will always be grateful to her for her intelligence, resourcefulness, and love of beauty.

Mimosa – Traditional Flower for International Women’s Day

I hope you celebrate International Women’s Day, by remembering the woman who most shaped your life, and also celebrating the woman that you are. Cheers to all the smart Italian women out there, keep learning!

About the Author

Joanne Natale Spigonardo has many years of experience in travel to Italy, Italian art, music, literature, film, history, wine, and cuisine. She is a lover of nature and beauty.  She is an advocate for Italian immigrant women, and the author of White Widow, which is available on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/White-Widow-Joanne-Natale-Spigonardo/dp/B085DT65DB.  For more information about Joanne please visit her LinkedIn page:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanne-spigonardo-b4824a9/.

Published by spigonaj

Joanne Spigonardo Business Development Consultant Specializing in Sustainability, Higher Education, Career Management, and Public Relations In her former roles, Joanne served as Senior Associate Director at the Initiative for Global Environmental Leadership (IGEL) at Wharton. Joanne was also part of the Communications Office. She held positions as business manager of the Wharton Seminars for Business Journalists and for the Wharton Alumni Magazine. Joanne also served as the media relations coordinator. When with Alitalia Airlines, Joanne worked as a sales representative. Joanne graduated from The University of Pennsylvania with a BA and later graduated from the Wharton Aresty Institute of Executive Education. She has a strong background in development, management, marketing, and Italian language and culture. As a Wharton Mentor, she coached new employees on professional development, and is active in Penn’s Grievance panels. Joanne was on the board of governors for the University Club. Joanne is chair of the Delaware County Penn Alumni Interview Program and oversees alumni volunteers. As an alum of Penn and Wharton, and also a parent of two Penn graduates, she is a strong advocate in promoting Penn. At Wharton IGEL, Joanne had been in partnership with GreenBiz, Sustainable Brands, the Ethical Corporation, Pira Packaging International, Public Relations Society of America, the Green Sports Alliance, World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia, the Italian Consulate, the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, the Sonoma County Winegrowers Association, and the Nature Conservancy, as well as, many other NGO and government offices. She has brokered hundreds of corporate relationships for Wharton. Joanne is the author of her book, White Widow, published on Kindle and Amazon. The book is a fictional novel about 19th-20th Century Italian immigrants. https://www.amazon.com/White-Widow-Joanne-Natale-Spigonardo/dp/B085DT65DB

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