Preservation Alliance '26 Fall Speaker Series | Iconic Places of Migration
Domenic Vitiello examines how migration has shaped Philadelphia’s neighborhoods, commercial corridors, monuments, and broader built environment. The talk considers the development, transformation, and preservation of places across Center City, South Philadelphia, Southwest Philadelphia, and other parts of the region, while exploring intergroup politics, redevelopment and gentrification, and the ways communities preserve and reproduce culture.
Examples include the effects of migration after September 11, 2001; successive Save Chinatown movements; the 9th Street Market; Washington Avenue; and Africatown. A question-and-answer session and refreshments will follow. The *Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia* will also be available for purchase through the Athenaeum’s partnership with Penn Press Books.
When: Thursday, November 12, 2026
Showtimes: The program begins at 6:00 PM.
Speaker: Domenic Vitiello, a professor of city planning and urban studies at the University of Pennsylvania. He previously worked in historic preservation and has spent more than two decades working primarily with migrant community organizations in Philadelphia, Mexico, and Italy. He is a former board chair of Juntos, a board member of the African Cultural Alliance of North America, and a member of the Save Chinatown Coalition.
Tickets: Athenaeum members: $15.00. Non-members: $25.00. Tickets are managed by the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia.
Member Discount: Athenaeum members received a registration discount code by email. Members who need the code again can contact the Athenaeum at [email protected].
Additional Program: A question-and-answer session and refreshments will follow the talk.
Books: The *Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia* will be available for purchase through the event’s partnership with Penn Press Books.
Series: This program is part of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia’s 2026 Fall Speaker Series.
Venue: The Athenaeum of Philadelphia, 219 S. 6th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106-3794.
Contact: The Athenaeum can be reached at 215-925-2688.