Alessandro Di Gregorio, commonly known as Alex Di Gregorio, is an Italianeditorial cartoonist and author best known for his commentary on Italian national domestic and foreign policy from a progressive perspective.
Beginnings
Alex Di Gregorio was born in Parma but he grew up in Alessandria to a Roman Catholic family. He started drawing at a precocious age. His first works are classmate portraits when he was six.
Career
After graduating in 1981, Di Gregorio made his artistic debut as cartoonist in local newspapers in Alessandria. He moved to Milan in 1994 to become cartoonist for Mediolanum and Standa, making storyboards for Economic TV shows. In 1998 he became cartoonist in the Italian TV Telemontecarlo, then La7television showCrono-tempo di motori. Since 1997, he is cartoonist at political newspapers like "L'Indipendente", "Liberal", "Con", "L'Ago & il Filo", "La Discussione" and "Il Secolo d'Italia" and his cartoons appear in Italian newspaper titles. Since 1993, Alex is official cartoonist at Coldiretti, the largest italian Farmers Union. He always insisted on total editorial independence. As a lifetime Christian Democrat, he focussed most of his attacks on the Conservative figures. In April 18, 2005, a series of Alex Di Gregorio's cartoons published on Italian Christian Democrats website criticized Italian PremierSilvio Berlusconi, mainly for the perilous course of his Administration. He usually satirized and criticized politicians and administrators and took the issues of the day: economic problems; abortion; the influence of fundamentalist Islamic groups and their impact on public policy.
Personal life
While he criticized the Soviet Union and other communist aggressions, he also believed in policy dialogue between USA and USSR. He has a great interest in American political history, and human and civil rights and is a Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights member, subscribed to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum and member of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute. He has published collected cartoons RFK, the Dream Carries On and "Pierre Salinger, le Superman de la Communication" edit by Pierre and Poppy Salinger Foundation. He is a staunch supporter of animal rights and owns a dog called Ray, a cat called Kathleen and he's a registered PETA member. He is also passionate about a nuclear-free world and is a member of Beyond Nuclear.
