In preparation for Culture Fest, The Hawkeye is featuring one staff member and his/her heritage each day. Mr. Cresta, who teaches wood as well as independent living, was excited to talk to us about his Italian heritage. His family is from Southern Italy; his mother and father came to America at ages 13 and 25, respectively.

Mr. Cresta celebrates all Catholic holidays. On Christmas Eve, his family has “The Feast of the Seven Fishes.” In this Italian-American tradition, families prepare a seven-course meal of either seven different seafood dishes or one type of fish prepared in seven different ways.  Abstaining from from red meat on holidays is an ancient Roman Catholic custom, and the number seven is connected to multiple Catholic symbols, including the sacraments, the days of the Creation, and the deadly sins.

Mr. Cresta has been back to Italy and enjoys Italian food. “I like any kind of pasta, even if it was created by the Chinese and not Italians,” he added.

When asked for one misconception he’d like to correct about his Italian heritage, he laughed: “Not everyone is in the mafia.”

Come to the Culture Fest on Thursday, March 21, in the UHS auditorium during blocks 1 and 2 to learn about the many cultures at Urbana!