Bios
Scott Belluz
Of Italian descent, Canadian literary translator Scott Belluz has been published in journals such as The Italian Review, The Stinging Fly, Your Impossible Voice, Anomalous Press, and Mayday Magazine. He is a contributing translator to the Pirandello Society of America's ‘Stories for a Year’ project.
Anna Camilleri
Anna Camilleri works across diverse media, including literature, sculpture, installation, and theatre. A producer and public artist, her practice is activated through collaboration. Her bookworks have been recognized by the LAMBDA Literary Foundation, the Association of Independent Publishers, and the American Library of Congress. She is artistic director of ReDefine Arts.
Licia Canton
Licia Canton is the director of the documentary Creative Spaces: Queer and Italian Canadian (2021) and editor-in-chief of Accenti Magazine. She is the author of The Pink House and Other Stories (2018). For her work in culture, she received the Italy in the World Prize (2018). She holds a Ph.D. from Université de Montréal.
Paul Coccia
Paul Coccia writes books for middle-grade and young adult readers. He has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia and is often found baking in his Toronto kitchen with his nephew, dogs, and parrot who loves pasta.
Liana Cusmano
Liana Cusmano is a Montreal Slam Champion (2018-19, 2023), finalist for the QWF Spoken Word Prize (2022), author of Catch and Release (2022). They wrote and directed Matters of Great Unimportance (2018) and La Femme Finale (2016), screened at Cannes Film Festival. Their work (in English, French, Italian) explores heritage, queerness, and mental illness.
Julia DiPalo is a PhD student in English Literature at the University of Waterloo. She specializes in Italian-Canadian literature, specifically the exploration of women's and queer narratives. Her academic focus contributes to a broader understanding of contemporary Italian-Canadian literature.
Konrad Eisenbichler
Konrad Eisenbichler, CM, OMRI, FRSC, is part of the Julian-Dalmatian expatriate community. The son of an Austrian father and an Italian mother, both born, like him, in Lussinpiccolo (previously Austria, then Italy, now Mali Lošinj, Croatia), he grew up in an Italian-speaking family and self-identifies as culturally Italian and Canadian.
Paolo Frascà
Paolo Frascà (he/they; lui) was born in Calabria and moved to Tkaronto (Toronto) as a teenager. He is a professor in the Department of Italian Studies at the University of Toronto, where he is also affiliated with the Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies and the Global Migration Lab (Munk School). His research and teaching focus on language pedagogy, sexuality studies, and Italian-Canadian studies.
Elio Iannacci
Elio Iannacci is a writer, poet and arts reporter. His award-winning profiles include Sophia Loren, Barbra Streisand, Lady Gaga, Joni Mitchell and Beyoncé. He recently completed an MA at York University with a thesis on Queer-Diva Collaboration in 20th Century Pop Music.
Ariana Magliocco
Ariana Magliocco is a writer, researcher and visual artist. Passionate about Italian-Canadian anti-racist solidarity building and queer liberation, she sees her artistic practice as an offering to the folk traditions and embodied knowledge of her Sicilian, Laziale and Veneto ancestors.
Steff Mendolia
Steff(ania) Juniper Mendolia is a third-generation, southern Italian-Canadian. They are a sober queer, non-binary trans witch, a mad/disability justice worker, writer and sound artist. They completed an arts-based MA in Critical Disability Studies, York University: “Trans-Feminist Witchcraft: A Psychiatric Survivor Narrative.” They are working on a PhD in Gender, Feminist and Women’s Studies.
Anna Nobile
Anna Nobile is a freelance writer and editor whose nonfiction and creative short fiction has been published in numerous newspapers, magazines, journals and anthologies. She lives, works, and plays in the traditional territory of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw of British Columbia.
Christopher Sisca
Christopher Sisca is an Italian-Canadian visual artist, writer, and anthropologist. He is studying Anthropology, DPhil (PhD), at the University of Oxford and working on Calabrian gastro-tourism development. He holds an MSc in Social Anthropology (University of Oxford), and an Honours BFA in Visual Arts (York University). His creative practices intersect his Calabrian culture and queerness.
Vic Valente
Vic Valente is a non-binary artist and advocate. They received an education in fine arts and sociology. They have a certain passion for rescue animals. In their work, they advocate for trans inclusion and queer specific programming in community agencies where queer folks' unique needs and experiences are often overlooked
Nikki Donadio
Nikki Donadio is a writer and editor in Toronto. She is a long-time reader and writer who has enjoyed helping friends and associates develop their writing work. She currently works on helping others who want an experienced writer to help shepherd their work to the next level.
