A Door Opened Five Years Ago - Dr. Ed Iannuccilli

A Door Opened Five Years Ago - Dr. Ed Iannuccilli

How did I get to be a writer, much less now for GoLocal? Where is the connection?  It is a story of an opportunity I could not refuse, especially after meeting with Josh Fenton, CEO of GoLocal. His enthusiasm is contagious.

Some years ago, I was telling my children how lucky we were because of the bravery and courage of my immigrant grandparents who left Italy in the early 1900s for a better chance in America. They arrived with little more than a satchel and no suitable place to live. They landed on Federal Hill in Providence, connected with friends and relatives and, despite dreadful living conditions, were able to make it.  They worked hard, raised families, built homes, and encouraged schooling.

My oldest son said, “I did not know that.”

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“My goodness,” I thought. “They need to understand the story of how those immigrants made it possible for us to succeed.” Realizing that I needed to document my childhood with my immigrant grandparents, I wrote a story, my first of how my grandfather buried his fig tree every fall and dug it up in the spring. It was a metaphor for his courage, hope, practicality, and love of the earth; the tree is its symbol.

Not knowing what to do with the story, I submitted it to Bob Whitcomb, the Providence Journal Editor. I did not hear from him for some time and then one day a call, “This is Bob Whitcomb. Your story is charming. I am going to print it.” I was speechless.

“Charming. Really?” I thought. “My grandfather’s story will be told, and it will be published.” Encouraged, I authored more stories, eventually completing three books and then a monthly column in the Providence Journal. Here is the connection to GoLocalProv.

Not long ago, I called Bob, who was now writing a Sunday column for GoLocalProv, to ask if there was an opportunity for me with GoLocalProv as I was no longer at the ProJo. I wanted to continue writing in the public domain.

“Ed,” he said in his understated way, “You must write for Go Local.”

And here I am, now alongside my friend and mentor and other giants … Froma Harrop, John Ghiorse, Mark Curtis, Will Morgan, Rob Horowitz, and other greats.

GoLocal is just that, local; written for and about Rhode Islanders. Now it has crept into the national realm. I believed it would be a good fit for me because that is what I have been doing for the past ten years. . . writing stories of growing up in a multi-ethnic neighborhood in Providence, Rhode Island; writing of relatives, friends, schools, teachers, travel, places, and happenings.  It will continue and now will also be in multimedia and video platforms.

The tagline for GoLocal: the “go to” local web experience that breaks the biggest local stories – sports, weather, news, politics, arts, entertainment – and allows users to go as deep as they wish. I love it.

I am excited about this ongoing opportunity. Come along. Enjoy the ride with me.