CHICAGO, IL — I was a child when my family fled Kosova during the war in 1999. We came to America with nothing but hope and no idea that, years earlier, someone in Washington had already been fighting for people like us. Their names were Joseph J. DioGuardi and Shirley Cloyes DioGuardi.

This November 28th, Joe and his wife, Shirley, will come to Chicago to celebrate Albanian Independence Day with our community. For many of us who arrived as refugees, their visit feels deeply personal. It’s not just a celebration, it is a homecoming.

Four decades ago, in 1984, Joe DioGuardi made history as the first Albanian-American elected to the U.S. Congress. He was the son of Arbëresh immigrants from Italy, a proud descendant of the same Albanian spirit that survived centuries of exile. When he shocked New York politics by winning a congressional seat in Westchester County, he didn’t just claim a district, he ended up claiming a voice for all Albanians who had never had one in Washington.

From the start, Joe used that voice for good. Together with Congressman Tom Lantos, a Holocaust survivor, he co-founded the Congressional Human Rights Caucus and began introducing the word “Kosova” into the record of the U.S. Congress, long before most Americans knew where it was on a map. Later, through the Albanian American Civic League, which he founded in 1989, he carried our story everywhere, from the White House to international conferences, insisting that the plight of Albanians in the Balkans was a matter of human rights and freedom.

But his dedication didn’t stop with Kosova. In the early 1990s, Joe turned his attention to Albanians in Tetova, supporting their right to education in their own language and helping amplify their call for a university that would serve the region’s youth. When others looked at the Balkans as a complicated map of divisions, he saw one nation separated by circumstance but united in identity.

And by his side, always, was Shirley Cloyes DioGuardi, a force in her own right. While Joe opened doors in Washington, Shirley opened hearts across America. She championed the cause of Albanians in the Presheva Valley, raising awareness about a community too often left out of international discussions. Her research, advocacy, and compassion made sure their struggles were never forgotten. Together, the DioGuardis became a bridge between Washington and our people.

As someone who came to America because of the war Joe and Shirley spent years warning the world about, I feel their story in a very personal way. The life I live today, in freedom, with my wife and daughters, in a thriving Albanian-American community, exists partly because people like them refused to let the world look away.

Now, decades later, to welcome the DioGuardis to Chicago, to celebrate Albania’s Independence Day together, is to close a circle of history. The congressman who first spoke our name in the U.S. Capitol will stand among a new generation of Albanian-Americans who now carry forward the cause he began.

And the story continues. On November 29th, the Albanian-American Community of Illinois will host a special fundraiser to support a museum the DioGuardis are planning to build in Kosova. A place that will preserve the footage, documents and broadcasts from their decades of advocacy in Congress and on national television. This archive of truth and perseverance belongs to all of us and it deserves a permanent home. Those who join us will not only honor Joe and Shirley’s past work but also help ensure their legacy lives on for generations to come.

This November, we won’t just be celebrating our flag and independence. We’ll be honoring the people who helped make it visible to the world and together, we’ll begin writing the next chapter of that story.

Welcome home, Joe and Shirley. You gave us a voice when we had none and we’ll never forget it.

Edon Shaqiri
Chairman of the Board
Albanian-American Community of Illinois

Chicago, IL — Last month, more than 800 people gathered in the Chicago area for Byrek Fest 2025 — an event that is quickly becoming a favorite for Albanian families and food lovers alike. The festival, organized by the Albanian-American Community of Illinois (AACI), doubled its attendance this year and earned official recognition from Albania’s Prime Minister, Edi Rama.

Founded in 1998, AACI serves as the umbrella organization for Albanians throughout Illinois. Its board is structured with two representatives from each of the six regions Albanians call home — something board president Edon Shaqiri says is the backbone of the community’s broad reach. “When everyone has a seat at the table, every corner of our culture is represented,” Shaqiri said. “That’s why you see byrek here from everywhere.”

What makes Byrek Fest special is that it brings together Albanians from every region — and from every generation. Grandparents, parents, and children all found something familiar and something new, whether it was a taste that reminded them of home or a chance to dance to a song from their village.

And there was plenty to see — if you arrived on time. The food lines were long, and the byrek, prepared by cooks representing every region of Albania and Kosovo, sold out quickly. First place this year went to Emine Jakupi from Gjilan, Kosovo. During her interview, Jakupi stood next to her mother, who had passed down the winning recipe — a moment that moved many people. Second place went to Edisa Combi from Fier, Albania, and third to Migerta Radhima from Vlore.

Besides byrek, there was qebapa on the grill, pizza for the kids, and tables loaded with homemade Albanian desserts. A backdrop of music from all parts of Albania — from DJ Besi — kept the crowd dancing even after the plates were cleared.

Children weren’t left out either. Dafina Rexhepi, AACI’s youth director, made sure there were games and activities to keep families at the festival until the end of the day.

This year’s festival didn’t just get a greeting from the Prime Minister — it was also recognized by Interior Minister Taulant Balla, journalist Blendi Fevziu, and Mrizi i Zanave, the well-known farm restaurant in Albania. The entire event was made possible thanks to the support of Albanian-American businesses who stepped up as sponsors. The event remained completely free for the community, and many families contributed personal donations to keep Byrek Fest alive and growing.

For many local Albanian families, the highlight was simple: good food, loud music, and a festival that shows just how unique this community is — united across regions, generations, and by one flaky, quickly disappearing pie that brings everyone together.