#SEENAmericanDream: Marco Fiorante

Originally from: Cellino San Marco, Puglia, Italy

Currently resides in: Economy

“I grew up in the heel of the boot where everyone knows each other,” said Marco Fiorante, 29. His father, Ferdinando Fiorante, owns a plumbing company in Cellino San Marco and his mother, Doriana, is a homemaker and talented embroiderer. “I went to elementary school and middle school in my town. Everyone knew me as the ‘the plumber’s son — the one who sings,” he laughed. “I was always theatrical from the time I was little, putting on shows for people and my neighborhood. It was a happy childhood.” He grew up with his two younger brothers, Giuseppe, 26, and Francesco, 21.

What is one thing you wished you would have known as a kid that you know now? “I wish I would have known how to speak English as a kid so life could be a little easier now.”

When did you first travel to America? “In January 2009, I made my first international trip — and my first flight ever — to come to America by myself as a tourist. I was equally excited and terrified to travel all alone to Washington, D.C. During my stay, I was invited to attend the National Italian American Foundation convention and gala, where I met the girl of my dreams, a girl from Pittsburgh who five years later would became Mrs. Fiorante.” Mrs. Fiorante happens to be Gina Mazzotta, a Pittsburgh-based milliner who has made quite a name for herself in the fashion community. Mr. Fiorante fell in love with her and moved to Pittsburgh.

What was it like to come to this city? “When I first came to Pittsburgh and didn’t know anybody but Gina and her family, my community welcomed me with open arms and made me feel like one of them. Now it’s time to show my gratitude by giving back.” Mr. Fiorante became a permanent citizen in 2017. “The immigration process was not easy. I was following the legal immigration process and was denied a visa twice. When I first started coming to the Pittsburgh area to visit Gina when we were dating, while she was working during the day, I filled my time by volunteering at St. John the Baptist in Baden’s pierogi sale. When I finally got my work visa, I applied for over 40 jobs and nobody would hire me. The only one that that gave me a chance was my neighbor, Mr. Baker, who owns a dry cleaners in Bellevue. He was the first one to give me the opportunity to start to work my way toward my American Dream. Now, I work five jobs, 60 hours a week and stop only to eat and sleep!”

He currently works as a professional opera singer, a therapist for special needs kids with a specialization in music therapy and teaches an Italian course at the Community College of Beaver County. He also works Saturdays at the dry cleaners. In addition, he is the artistic director at Istituto Mondo Italiano,teaching private voice lessons.

How do you share your culture with your friends and neighbors?

“I share my culture with everyone around me all day long, just by being myself. I can never hide the fact that I am Italian, from my accent, to my hand gestures, to jokes and old Italian sayings that I’m always sharing with my friends. More specifically, I share my culture through my music.” His latest album, “LOVE,” can be found on iTunes and Spotify.

What does the American Dream mean to you?

“The American Dream is leaving all that you know in hopes of finding success. It’s about being in the right place at the right time. My personal American dream is to have the opportunity to share my culture through my songs, bringing a sense of joy and comfort to the audiences I sing for. I can’t count how many times people have come up to me after my concerts, moved to tears telling me how much their grandparents or parents who came over from Italy would have loved to hear me sing or that they used to sing to them the songs that I had just performed. My music sparks memories in people, and I like to think that by living my American dream, I am allowing others to relive the American dreams of those who came before them.”