Ep 112: Many Voices One Community with Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews and guest Lia Di Angelo on hmTv

Episode 112: Many Voices, One Community
Guest: Lia Di Angelo | Host: Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews
Produced by hmTv at the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center

In this heartfelt and inspiring episode, Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews welcomes community leader and humanitarian Lia Di Angelo to Many Voices, One Community. Lia shares the powerful story behind founding Comité Cívico Argentino, a nonprofit born from her desire to bridge the cultural gap between Argentina and the United States. What began as a small toy drive has grown into a far-reaching movement providing food, medical support, wheelchairs, and even clean water to those in need.

Through faith, resilience, and a profound love for both her Argentinian heritage and American community, Lia has become a voice for unity and action. Together, Gaitley and Lia explore themes of empathy, cultural celebration, the courage to love, and the importance of showing up for one another—across backgrounds, beliefs, and borders.

This episode is a testament to how one person, guided by compassion, can ignite meaningful change and build bridges across communities. Tune in and be reminded that humanity matters, and kindness is strength.

Listen now on hmTv, where many voices truly form one community.

Transcript

Episode 112 – Many Voices, One Community
Hosted by Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews with guest Lia Di Angelo
hmTv | Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center

Gaitley:
Hello and welcome to Many Voices, One Community: Stories Across Long Island and Beyond. I'm Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews, and I’m so very pleased to serve as Community Engagement Officer here at the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center. I’m also thrilled to be your host for this podcast, and I could not be more delighted than to be joined today by my dear friend, Lia Di Angelo.

Lia:
Oh my gosh, Gaitley, we go back so far.

Gaitley:
I’ve been in Glen Cove since around 2005 and moved here in 2007, but you've been active in the community on so many fronts. Let’s begin by having you share a little bit about Comité Cívico Argentino—the Argentinian Civic Committee—and your community involvement more broadly.

Lia:
Thank you, Gaitley. First, it is such a pleasure to be here and more than anything, to be your friend. I am very proud of you and everything you do.

As for Comité Cívico Argentino, in 2019, I realized there was a gap. So many nationalities were represented in civic work here in New York, but not Argentina. I felt called—by God, honestly—to fill that space. Sometimes we wait for someone else to step up, but when you feel that nudge, you have to just go with it.

I didn’t know how to form a nonprofit, but I learned. I talked to lawyers, accountants, and just figured it out. Before I knew it, I was president of a nonprofit—and then, just six months later, the pandemic hit.

Gaitley:
I remember that. And I remember those early days of your organization. Many of us leaned into our faith during those uncertain times, whatever our background might be. You’ve always drawn strength from your beliefs, and I admire how you've turned that into action.

Lia:
Thank you. It started with a small toy drive, which then grew. Through mutual friends like Delia DeRiggi-Whitton and Legislator Solages, I connected with the Nassau County Executive's office. That’s when I realized how great the need was—even in Nassau County.

We began helping 26 families through the pandemic—providing toys, food, and joy. Our toy drive has grown from a few dozen toys to nearly a thousand. Our donations grew to over $12,000 last year, and we moved our annual gala to the Crescent Beach Club, which now feels like our home.

But it didn’t stop there. We began helping paraplegic and quadriplegic children—installing accessible bathrooms, providing wheelchairs, even funding aquifer drilling for clean water access. I had no expertise in these areas. I just responded to the need.

Gaitley:
That’s something I admire about you, Lia. You respond with heart. You celebrate both your Argentinian roots and your love for America. You bring joy and beauty to everything you do—whether through tango dancers or festive galas. You lead with compassion.

Lia:
Thank you. I love both countries deeply—my red, white, and blue, and my light blue and white. I’m proud to be a South American and a North American. Sharing culture and fostering mutual respect is at the core of what I do.

Gaitley:
I think about our mutual friend, Sergeant Evelyn Kandel, who served during the Korean War and was Nassau County’s poet laureate. What an icon—and you honored her beautifully at your 2024 gala.

Lia:
Yes, she was on a U.S. postage stamp! It was such a blessing to recognize her. That’s what community is about—celebrating each other.

Gaitley:
You know, many Jewish refugees found safety in Argentina after the Holocaust. That surprises some visitors to HMTC, but it’s part of our shared human story. What do you carry from your own upbringing that shaped who you are today?

Lia:
Argentina, like New York, is a melting pot. Half the boats from Europe went south, half went north. So many Jewish families ended up in Argentina. Growing up, I was surrounded by people from diverse backgrounds.

Here in the U.S., though, I’ve learned how unity in diversity truly works. People profess their cultures with pride, and we come to see that we are more alike than different. That’s what I try to model: empathy, compassion, connection. And as a mother, it’s magnified. I carry love not just for my kids, but for the hundreds I serve as godmother to in Argentina, and the many children we help here.

Gaitley:
That love takes bravery. Some people mistake kindness for weakness, but I’ve always believed compassion is real strength.

Lia:
Absolutely. I once told someone, “To love, you must be brave.” You can’t love and be a coward. It takes courage to give, especially after being hurt. But you have to keep going. That’s where faith comes in for me. I pray every morning, not for things, but in gratitude—for my family, my health, and the ability to love and share.

Gaitley:
It’s true. The work never really ends. Like the scene in Schindler’s List—even after saving so many, he wonders if he could have saved more. That moment reminds us that the work of compassion is never done.

Lia:
Exactly. Even when it feels like a treadmill, like we’re not making progress, I think of that moment. If I can do this much with so little, imagine what I could do with more.

Gaitley:
And here at HMTC, we see people from all walks of life—every faith, background, and generation—learning from survivors and their descendants. That common thread of humanity is what unites us.

Lia:
Absolutely. I’ve sat with Jewish friends, celebrated Hanukkah and Passover, while also honoring Christmas and Easter. It’s about being present with one another, across all our traditions. At our galas, it’s not about race or religion—it’s about unity and lifting each other up.

Gaitley:
And that is the perfect way to end. Humanity matters. Kindness matters. And you, Lia, are a shining example of both.

Thank you for joining us on Many Voices, One Community—stories that unite us across Long Island and beyond. Please follow hmTv at HMTC for more inspiring episodes.

Lia:
And as John Lennon sang, “Imagine all the people.” Imagine a world united. What a victory that will be.

Gaitley:
Amen to that. Thank you all so much for listening.