In the bright and vibrant setting of Los Angeles, where innovation, multiculturalism and economic dynamics are interwoven in rapid change, Raffaella Valentini carries out his position as Consul General of Italy with a concrete, modern and deeply human approach. Speaking at the New York microphones in the podcast Portraits, Claudio Brachino the Consul Valentini told his path, his vision and the challenges of a consular constituency among the largest and most complex in the United States. From the beginning, the tone of the conversation is defined by its enthusiasm: “I’m fine. From Los Angeles I greet you in a wonderful sunny day… I’m really happy to be with you and talk about what we do every day: help to break down the walls and to approach more and more Italy and the United States”.
Describing the area in which it operates — Southern California, Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico — the Consul returns a lively and stratified picture of this part of America. “The South of California and the three following states are a dynamic, complex reality, full of opportunities,” explains, emphasizing that the collective narrative linked to Los Angeles and Hollywood cannot fully represent the economic and social wealth of the entire constituency. “It is an area of great interest both for the Italian community already resident and for the Italians who look more and more carefully at possible investments and new professional horizons in this part of the United States”.
Its path, rich in international experiences, helps to understand the gaze with which it faces the current role. From Roman formation to career entrance, in 2003, passing through assignment in Albania, in 2008 — “a beautiful, formative experience” — and the intense years in Egypt during the second revolution, until the momentary return to Italy to the Office of the Diplomatic Councillor of the Presidency of the Council, traveling with different presidents and breathing closely politics.
The Console Valentini outlines a career built through complex contexts, capable of forming a solid and flexible look: “I am proud, as a woman, to take up an assignment of this responsibility”, he says, recalling that diplomacy requires not only preparation, but also resilience, balance and relational capacity.
In 2023 the arrival in Los Angeles: “I chose the United States: a life and professional experience that I think is extraordinary. And here I am.”.
Los Angeles’s choice wasn’t random. The Consul Valentini lived it as a challenge, an opportunity to affect in a territory where the “Sistema Italia” is strong but still little explored on the economic level.
“When I talked to the then Italian Ambassador in the United States, Maria Angela Zappia, she said to me: “Go to Los Angeles, there is a strong and hungry Italian system. And there is a lot to do.” And it was true. This part of the United States is less beaten by Italian companies than the East Coast or the Silicon Valley. But it has enormous potential: manufacturing, aerospace, technological innovation. The same applies to Arizona, today one of the most dynamic states in America, leader in the semiconductor sector”.
His mission is clear: «To bring more and more Italy here, to change the narrative, to tell a South of California different from what everyone imagines. We work every day with the ICE Office, with the Italian Institute of Culture, with the Italian Chamber of Commerce and even with an ENIT office. We have created a Smart Country Guide, a digital tool designed to guide Italian companies towards the opportunities of the American West. Here the opportunities are enormous, but we must get prepared: it is an environment different from the East, with dynamics and times much faster”.
According to the Console there are at least three reasons that should push Italian entrepreneurs to look at this part of the United States: «The first is the vision. Here you always look forward. The future is a concrete category, not a slogan. And the times are very fast: good projects, if they have quality, find here a faster route.
The second is the possibility to access economic spaces still little explored by Italian companies.
The third concerns a symbolic sector like fashion. “The street fashion in Los Angeles is growing a lot. Golden Goose is an example of how Italian companies, especially medium and small, can find here an ideal environment to grow”.
Alongside companies, the Consulate lives a constant relationship with citizens. This is where Valentini proudly demands the heart of his work: «Our core business is the consular services… our constituency counts over 37 thousand Italians registered, with a constant increase of 5% per year”.
The challenges are not lacking — from emergencies such as fires in Los Angeles to delicate cases requiring direct action of the Consul — but the bond with the community remains central. For example, the release of passports is one of the most appreciated services, a symbol of an administration that tries to be close and functional in a vast territory. With a high-level team that hovers the Console: «I have an extraordinary team: alone we do not go anywhere, and their work is fundamental».
On the geopolitical and cultural level, Valentini underlines how the Italy–USA relationship remains solid and nourished by a widespread feeling of affection towards our country. However, he insists on the need to complete the image of Italy in the eyes of Americans: “Our task is to tell an Italy that is much more: innovation, technology, stability, investment opportunities”. A narrative that alongside the beauty and quality of life — elements always present in the American imagination — also integrates the new industrial and technological identity of contemporary Italy.
Towards the end of the interview, there is also a more personal and intimate note about his relationship with his career: «I feel realized and grateful… My dream is simple: continue to have fun, to find satisfaction, to know new cultures”. A declaration of love towards his work as a diplomat, which returns the measure of a Consul who built his path not only through the results achieved, but thanks to a lively curiosity and the passion for public service.
He closes the conversation with a greeting to the readers of New York, which sums up the spirit of his mandate: “We are here, ready to help and serve. And we hope to meet you soon in Los Angeles!».
L’articolo The mission of the Consul General of Italy in Los Angeles Raffaella Valentini: “To bring more and more Italy here, to change the narrative” comes from IlNewyorkese.
