The Architect and Open Door: Pierluigi Grigoletti on Veronetta – New Faces Of a Neighborhood
In real estate, the mantra is “location, location, location.” But for Obehi Ewanfoh, Legacy Story Consultant and creator of the Story to Asset™ framework, the most vital location isn’t found on a map. It is the narrative we construct within our own minds.
Learn How to Leverage Your Story through our Story To Asset Framework.
This philosophy was forged through decade-long research, titled “The Journey.” What began in the historic streets of Verona, Vicenza, and Padova eventually expanded into a global exploration of the African Diaspora. Through over 1,000 interviews on The Obehi Podcast, Obehi has mapped the lives of professionals from the United States, Canada to the UK and more.
Yet, some of his most profound insights didn’t come from a traveler, but from a man who stayed in one place: Pierluigi Grigoletti. An Italian architect who has watched the heart of Verona beat from his office in Veronetta since the 1980s, Pierluigi offers a rare, essential perspective, the view from the “other side” of the gate.
By applying the Story to Asset framework, Grigoletti’s story reveals how we can renovate the “tension” of a changing neighborhood into a shared, high-value cultural asset.
Excavation – Admit the Fear, Then Find the Truth
When Pierluigi first saw his neighborhood changing in the late 1990s, he didn’t celebrate. He was honest enough to tell Obehi that his first reaction was negative.
“I have to admit; the change was obvious. We started to see ‘foreign faces.’ We weren’t used to it. My perception, and the perception of people I knew, was negative. We felt like we were disappearing. We felt like we were no longer the ‘masters’ of our own territory.”
The Lesson for You: Obehi calls this Excavation. You have to dig deep to understand why people are reacting to you with coldness or fear.
It’s often not about you; it’s about their fear of losing what they know. When you understand this, you stop taking the “closed doors” personally and start looking for a way to open them.
Translation – Breaking the “Silence” of the City
Pierluigi pointed out something fascinating: the Italians in Verona weren’t just “closed” to Africans; they were closed to each other.
“The historic residents didn’t even talk to themselves. Verona isn’t famous for being chatty. We are reserved people. Because we didn’t know each other, we assumed that if someone new arrived, they were going to take something away from us.”
The Lesson for You: In Obehi’s framework, Translation is about finding a common language. If the people in your host country are “silent” or “reserved,” you have to be the one to translate your presence.
You have to show them that you aren’t there to “take” their culture, but to add your own “Asset” to the neighborhood.
Alignment – Seeing the Neighborhood as a Living Thing
As an architect, Pierluigi sees buildings and streets as more than just bricks. He sees them as tools for social change. He noticed that the government often ignored Veronetta because it wasn’t a “tourist” zone.
“I have a physical relationship with this neighborhood. It hurts me to see it being abandoned. I believe that if you fix a sidewalk or build a bike path, it helps people live better together. But right now, the system is ‘oxidized’, it’s rusty and stuck.”
The Lesson for You: Alignment means making sure your surroundings match your goals. If you are a Diaspora professional living in a neighborhood or working in a company that feels “stuck,” you have the power to be the architect of change. Don’t just live in the “rust”, help polish it.
Creation – The “Foreigner’s Face” Festival
Pierluigi didn’t just complain about the neighborhood; he created something. He helped start a cultural association that didn’t just fix old churches but fixed the way people looked at each other. They held an event called “Questa Faccia da Straniero” (This Foreigner’s Face).
“It was amazing. For a few hours, it didn’t even feel like our neighborhood. Everywhere you looked, you saw colorful faces and big smiles, both from the ‘old’ Veronese and the ‘new’ ones. It was a beautiful communion.”
The Lesson for You: This is Creation. You create value when you bring people together.
See also Reconnecting With Our Roots: Culture, Heritage and the Dance of the Spirit
Whether you are starting a business, a YouTube channel, or a community group, your goal is to make people forget their fears and start seeing each other’s “Asset.”
Legacy – Opening the Giant Gate
One of the most powerful things Pierluigi told Obehi was about the salvation of the city. He realized that without the migrants, the neighborhood would have died.
“Veronetta was being abandoned by the locals. Without the immigrants, it wouldn’t be a ‘dead city,’ but it would be close. Now, I go to their shops for my daily needs. I bought my couscous from them. They are Veronese like us now. This is a normal, healthy evolution.”
He ended up with a metaphor about Porta Vescovo, the giant, ancient gate of the city that stays dark and closed at night.
“That closed door is a symbol. We need to open that gate. It should be a portal to the unknown. That is where we must start again: we must open the gate.”
The Lesson for You: Legacy is about what you leave behind. Pierluigi’s legacy is a new way of seeing his home. Your legacy is to be the person who “opens the gate” for your family and your community.
Why Does an Italian Architect Matter to You?
You might be wondering: Why is Obehi Ewanfoh telling me the story of an Italian architect?
The answer is simple: To be Sovereign, you must understand the whole map. * You need to know that the “closed doors” you face are often built of old fears, not new hate.
- You need to know that your presence is the salvation of the neighborhoods and companies you join.
- You need to know that you are the architect of your own “Portals.”
Are You Ready to Open the Gates to Your Future?
If you are a member of the African Diaspora, you have spent your life navigating “foreign faces” and “closed doors.” But you don’t have to do it by accident. You can do it by design.
Obehi Ewanfoh’s AClasses Academy was built to give you the blueprint. Our Story to Asset™ courses are designed to help you:
- Excavate the hidden value in your unique background.
- Translate your “Foreigner’s Face” into a Professional Brand.
- Align your work with the needs of the modern world.
- Create content and businesses that bring people together.
- Legacy: Build a name that stays respected long after you are gone.
Visit AClasses Academy Today and Learn the 5 Phases of Sovereignty
Don’t stay on the outside of the “closed gate.” Learn the tools to walk through it, own the room, and build your own Fortress of Peace.
