Tag: CPA

Are you guys Nazi’s?

written by Lilly Vergnes

This blog feature is an exclusive bonus installment to our Spring issue of Blending Magazine. After you finish reading, be sure to explore the rest of the magazine online—just follow this link to download the full Spring 2025 edition:
https://jschoolfua.com/images/BM/BM_151.pdf

Lorenzo Carollo grew up in the northern part of Italy, in a small town near Verona. He followed the typical life path of an Italian teen, adding some illegal graffiti work in the mix. After high school, he went on to study History in Padova. You might wonder what kind of hobbies and activities one gets up to in rural northern Italy. For Carollo, he did not have to look far. He works in a mechanical factory, takes an interest in medieval history, plays the bagpipe, and in recent years has become a Skinhead. He has his hair cut short, wears boots and bomber jackets and goes to as many concerts as he can. This is also where I met him, at a concert at the Centro Popolare Autogestito (CPA) in Florence. I personally go to the CPA for its cheap beer and good music. Little did I know, that night’s concert was being played and attended by Skinheads. My first thought and question when I heard ‘Skinhead’ was, Are you guys Nazi’s? They all laughed, and Carollo started to explain the Skinhead movement to me over the loud music. 

Skinheads originated in Britain in the ‘60s. They were primarily influenced by Mod and the Jamaican Rudeboy subcultures, with a working-class pride and rejection of conservatism at the time. The original Skins had a lot of influences from Jamaican music and culture, such as Ska and Reggae. Later, in the ‘80s, a Punk aspect was introduced to the movement, with the working class Punk Rock Oi!. This was then mixed with the Jamaican genres from the previous generation, which was referred to as 2Tone. If these are the origins of the movement, then why do we only now associate Skinheads with white supremacists? 

During that same time in the ‘80s, the movement split up into two very distinct directions: far-right and left/apolitical. Britain’s political climate was precarious, and far-right supporters saw the Skinhead subculture as an opportunity to express their ideology. This spread fast, and by the ‘90s, neo-Nazi and fascist groups existed all over Europe and North America. 

  • photo by Lilly Vergnes
  • photo by Lilly Vergnes
photo by Lilly Vergnes

This is the image we still associate Skinheads with today in the mainstream mindset. However, a reaction to these right-winged groups quickly started. The movement known as Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice (SHARP) was created as an anti-fascist and anti-racist group. Today, they are considered an extension of the original Skinhead culture, the ‘real’ Skins. Skinheads completely deny the fascist groups as part of the movement, even refusing to call them ‘skinheads’ but ‘boneheads’ instead. The Skinheads main ideals are inherently left-wing, although some of them identify as apolitical.

Carollo first became familiar with Skinheads through some people he knew from high school. As a teen, he was interested in forming his own opinions on political matters. He was approached by some guys from a far-right Skinhead group in Vicenza, who wanted him to potentially join their group. After listening to some of the things they had to say, Carollo decided that their opinions did not align with his morals at all. He had a good friend who was black, whom he knew to be a good person, so he thought: how could it be true that all black people were bad? He made up his mind and began associating himself with people from the anti-fascist side of the movement: Skins from a smaller group called the Reggae Lads. Their ideas and morals lined up much more with his own, as he explained, “I could never understand why you would decide to hate. If you see a black man walking on the street who is smiling, you can’t be happy for him just because of the color of his skin? This is so stupid to me.” 

As for myself, I never realized that Skinheads are not what we see in the mainstream media. In reality, it seems like a subculture like many others, with their music, fashion and ideals, even ideals that most people could get behind. They are just as much, if not more, against neo-Nazi’s and facism as anyone else. In some way, they are the ones that are trying to make a positive change in the world.

  • photo by Lilly Vergnes
  • photo by Lilly Vergnes
  • photo by Lilly Vergnes

The CPA’s Role in Florence Subculture

written by Katherine Seiler and Isabella McCarthy

This CPA deep dive is an exclusive bonus installment in our Spring issue of Blending Magazine. After you finish reading, be sure to explore the rest of the magazine online—just follow this link to download the full Spring 2025 edition:
https://jschoolfua.com/images/BM/BM_151.pdf

Origins

The Centro Popolare Autogestito (CPA) is a self-managed, community-driven space that offers a platform for political activism, art, and social movement, contrasting the city’s historical and tourist-centric culture. Founded in the 1980s, it began as an escape from heroin, social isolation, and marginalizations that were often present during these times. The group initially occupied a nursery school in early 1989 and transformed it into a community space where people could gather to address social and political issues. They had to move to a mechanical workshop later in the year, and finally moved into their current building in 2001 after the old school was closed down years prior. Nicolo, a member of the CPA, described the space as “squatters that take over abandoned places”, but this practice can be regarded as a way of the CPA reclaiming unused properties and transforming them into usable, community-driven spaces. 

Hub of Creativity and Activity

Over the years, the CPA has evolved, but its core ideals in anti-fascism, community, and artistic expression remain intact and are present throughout its facility. Today, the CPA is a vibrant cultural hub hosting a variety of facilities, including a gym, library, art studio, cinema, and computer spaces. Classes in karate, ceramics, art, and more give people a chance to develop both personally and creatively. These spaces provide members the opportunity to connect, create, and grow. 

Through a visit to the ceramics studio, managed by Roberto, we learned that the studio was established six years ago, and it has become a place of creativity and connection for many. The process is simple: pay a small fee, make two pieces to learn the basics, and then create whatever you want. There are no formal teachers; everyone helps one another, and the focus is on learning together. Through regulars like Ciara, Irene, and Vitoria, it became clear how much they valued the sense of community the studio provides. They worked together on each other’s pieces, sharing tips and experiences, fostering a sense of belonging.

Current Day

Visits to the CPA reveal the diversity of its community. Nicolo noted how younger generations would turn to the CPA to utilize study spaces and as an opportunity to socialize. It was mentioned that some children would skip school, hop the fence, and hang out at the CPA instead of being at school. This seems to be a tradition that has continued over time, as many members laughed and remarked, “just like we used to do!”. Though one member said, “The Italian population is not young, so there are a lot fewer young people here,” when talking about the age of people involved with the CPA. 

The CPA’s finance model is that almost all activities are free of charge, except for concerts and the initial ceramics fee. The money needed to cover rent and utilities comes from the concert revenue. The CPA ensures that anyone, regardless of financial situation, can access the resources available. 

The CPA is also focused on helping the community, as they were instrumental in organizing large-scale food and resource drives during the pandemic. Despite their history of tensions with law enforcement, members of the CPA shared that during the pandemic, the police would give out the CPA’s number to individuals who needed food but could not afford it. At this time, law enforcement recognized the value and importance of some of the work that the CPA does. 

Expanding on the relationship with law enforcement, the center has a longstanding reputation for being anti-authoritarian and believing that the police represent an oppressive force. The CPA does not tolerate drugs and believes in alcohol moderation. People do smoke weed within the CPA, and though it is not legal, the cops do not bother people who smoke it on the CPA property.

For many, the CPA provides a space where people can escape, create, and express themselves freely. Despite facing numerous challenges, the CPA continues to thrive, staying true to its core values. It’s a place for the marginalized, the artists, and the activists and a space that has evolved but remains firmly rooted in its commitment to community.