Close-up of pink and red crumpled tissue paper or paper flowers.

Ascolta ~ Listen

Listening to Australian Italian migrant women’s stories.

“We hear you. Even if you don’t speak or write, know that we have heard you. Know that we share with you those things that have been kept inside, that have been covered with dark blankets of intellect, rationalisation, forgetfulness, obscurity, confusion: the fear, the vergogna, the shame. They may be your secrets, you family’s legacy, but know that they are shared. Know that some of us will give voice to them, write about them. Some of us will not. But know that we hear you.”

Teresa Capetola, Ascolta Women forum, 13th March 2020

About Ascolta Women Inc.

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Embroidery art of two hands with various small stitched objects and decorations, including a red heart, a flower bouquet, a bread loaf, a teacup, and a spool of thread. Handwritten text in colorful thread around the image, reading "Le Mani di Elia" at the top, with phrases about creativity, kindness, and caring.

Ascolta Women Inc.
Stories from Il Corpo - Book Launch

CO.AS.IT. Carloton 6th of March 2026

Le Mani Di Elia, Anamaria Paolino, Stories from Il Corpo, book detail

Collage of various cut-out images including a stylized woman with a partial face, cut-out flowers, apples, and abstract designs on a metallic and colorful background.

Australasian Centre for Italian Studies Conference

Ascolta Women presenting at ACISC, July 2026

Fruitful Harvest, Elena Callipari, Stories from Il Corpo, book detail

Information poster for the Italo-Australian Women’s Love Stories Project titled "Share Your Journey." Features illustrations of diverse women, blooming flowers, hearts, ships, and a river. Highlights include exploring love, migration, and change; participant-led interviews; welcoming all identities; sharing stories online; and respecting traditions. Contains contact details and a link for participation.

Italo-Australian Women’s Love Stories Project: Share Your Journey

Dr Lisa Portolan and Ascolta Women Inc. collaborative research

Featured Book

A collage-style image featuring a smiling woman with a photo collage face, holding a yellow flower with a badge or patch on it. The background is yellow, with text that reads 'Stories from IL CORPO' and 'ASCOLTA WOMEN WRITE'.

Women’s bodies have been sites of political struggle for centuries. The writings, artwork and photography reinforce the inextricable connections between our bodies, emotions, thoughts, our sense of selves, and interactions with the world. These stories challenge prevalent thinking in Western society that there is a separation between the mind and the body. Women are deeply attuned to their bodies’ rhythms and changes, and as conduits for thinking and reflecting through bodily connections. In Stories from Il Corpo, we explore and celebrates our bodies as ourselves.

Stories from il Corpo (2026)

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Close-up of a snowy, icy landscape with visible cracks and textured patterns on the surface.
Broken white ceramic plate with spaghetti and sauce, on a decorative tiled surface.
Collage of a woman's face composed of cut-out magazine images, including a large eye, a smile with visible teeth, and various colored shapes on a yellow background.
Close-up of a dried, wrinkled leaf with yellow and brown coloration.