What Lights Us Up

About What Lights Us Up

Are you ready to uncover what truly lights you up? Join Christina each month on What Lights Us Up as she dives into heartfelt conversations with passionate people who’ve turned their dreams into reality. Through inspiring stories of purpose, creativity, and courage, you’ll be reminded that joy isn’t just a feeling—it’s a direction. Start your journey to joyful living. Follow the show on Instagram www.instagram.com/whatlightsusup For more information about Christina and the show: www.christinaminutillo.com/whatlightsusuppodcast/

Publisher

Christina Minutillo

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

26 Mar 2023

Latest episode

5 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

44 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   5 Oct 2026

   #43: Find Your Way Home: Maria Liotta on the Wines and Places of Origin of Southern Italy

   What happens when you can’t find the information you’re looking for, so you decide to go find it—and write it yourself? Tune in to hear how listening to your heart and following your authentic self can lead you home. Maria Liotta, an Italian Wine Scholar and Certified Specialist of Wine, is the author of Places of Origin: Wines of Southern Italy, a book that brings to life the wines, history, and traditions of Campania, Calabria, Basilicata, and Puglia. Maria shares how growing up with a family history in wine sparked a lifelong passion and, while working on Wall Street, she became curious about why she couldn’t find more information about the wines of Southern Italy. From studying wine at night during her Wall Street career to traveling throughout Southern Italy’s DOP regions, Maria shares how not finding the stories and information she was looking for in New York led her to go find them herself, spending years traveling throughout the region and uncovering the stories behind the wines. Together, Christina and Maria explore the traditions of Southern Italy and why traveling beyond the major cities and into its villages can reveal the stories of the food, people, land, and wine that make each place unique. They talk about the winemakers preserving generations-old traditions, how wine can help us connect more deeply to the places we travel, and how following a passion can ultimately reconnect us to our ancestry and places of origin. If you've ever felt called to something without knowing exactly where it would lead, this conversation is a reminder to follow your curiosity, listen to your heart, and trust that the path may lead you somewhere unexpected—perhaps even home. Buy the book: Places of Origin: Wines of Southern Italy (https://www.winesofsouthernitaly.com) Follow Maria on Instagram: @DrinkSouthernItaly (https://www.instagram.com/drinksouthernitaly/) Email Maria: maria@italiangrapefan.com (mailto:maria@italiangrapefan.com) Connect with Christina: https://christinaminutillo.com (https://christinaminutillo.com/)

2. 

   7 Sept 2026

   #42: Find Your Path Through Food: Chef Tara Punzone on Italian Roots, Plant-Based Cooking, and Community

   What happens when you go against the grain, do things differently, and follow what lights you up? Tune in to hear how curiosity, courage, and staying true to yourself can lead you exactly where you're meant to be. Chef Tara Punzone is the chef and owner of Pura Vita, the first plant-based Italian restaurant of its kind in the United States, located in Los Angeles. She is also the author of Vegana Italiana, a cookbook that brings traditional Italian flavors to the plant-based table. Tara shares the moment that changed everything—watching a slaughterhouse video at just 10 years old and telling her Italian American family she would never eat meat again, a decision that eventually led her to becoming vegan and opening her groundbreaking restaurant. From growing up in a traditional Italian American family in Brooklyn to moving to Los Angeles, she reflects on the unexpected path that led her into the restaurant industry, despite her family’s hopes for a different direction. Together, Christina and Tara explore what happens when you leave behind a strong Italian American community—and how distance from your roots can deepen your connection to them in surprising ways. They discuss growing up with Italian traditions, creating joy through food, and why plant-based eating isn’t as far removed from Italian cuisine as it might seem. If you've ever felt pulled toward something different, questioned whether it's too late to change course, or wondered how to stay connected to your roots while creating your own path, this conversation is for you. Follow Chef Tara Punzone on Instagram: @cheftarapunzone (https://www.instagram.com/cheftarapunzone/) Visit Pura Vita in Los Angeles: https://puravitalosangeles.com (https://puravitalosangeles.com/) Follow Pura Vita on Instagram: @puravita_la (https://www.instagram.com/puravita_la/) Get Tara’s cookbook, Vegana Italiana: https://puravitalosangeles.com/vegana-italiana-cookbook (https://puravitalosangeles.com/vegana-italiana-cookbook) Episode Thumbnail Photo by Giovanni Reda: @giovannireda (https://www.instagram.com/giovannireda/) Connect with Christina: https://christinaminutillo.com (https://christinaminutillo.com/)

3. 

   3 Aug 2026

   #41: Find Your Cultural Oasis: Vincent Fauceglia on Building Italian American Community and Connection

   What if the sense of home you’ve been missing isn’t something you have to go back to—but something you can create right where you are? Tune in to hear how reconnecting with your heritage, following what lights you up, and building community from the ground up can turn a cultural desert into your own oasis. Vincent Fauceglia is the founder and first president of the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America (OSDIA) Charlotte Lodge, where he has built a thriving Italian American community rooted in culture, connection, and tradition. From growing up in a strong Italian American community in Ohio to moving to what he describes as the “cultural desert” of Charlotte, Vincent faced a difficult chapter in his life. Through that experience, he discovered that creating a community around his Italian American roots helped him reconnect with his authentic self and find a path forward. Together, Christina and Vincent explore what it means to grow up in a cultural “oasis” and then find yourself searching for that same connection somewhere new. From hosting dinners and reviving traditions like bocce and Sunday meals, to building a community from scratch, they explore how culture, food, and shared experiences can bring people together in meaningful ways. If you’ve ever felt like you’re living in a cultural desert, this conversation will inspire you to find—or create—your own oasis. Follow Vincent on Instagram: @vfauceglia (https://www.instagram.com/vfauceglia/) Follow Charlotte Sons & Daughters of Italy on Social Media: Instagram @cltosdia (https://www.instagram.com/cltosdia/) | Facebook CLT OSDIA (https://www.facebook.com/p/Charlotte-Sons-Daughters-of-Italy-OSDIA-61573299537430/) Join or Find a Local Lodge: https://www.osdia.org (https://www.osdia.org/) Learn More About IAFL: https://www.iafuture.org (https://www.iafuture.org/) Connect with Christina: https://christinaminutillo.com (https://christinaminutillo.com/)

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

12 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

4 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 39 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

49

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

71

Contact What Lights Us Up

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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