Lucky is pictured here with his cousin and immigration sponsor, Luigi Rao and Luigi's daughter Pasqualina in March, 1955 on Emerson Avenue in Toronto.
Fortunately Mr. Rao has kept an extensive archival record of his life in the form of photographs, letters and newspaper clippings. You will get the opportunity to explore his world in these web pages.
In as much as Lucky's work life and union activity with the United Steelworkers is intriguing and an important perspective on the relationship between immigrant labour, unions and ultimately the NDP political party, the man refuses to be easily categorized.
In 1969 Lucky ran for Alderman and lost to the longserving politician Joe Piccinini in part because much of his support came from non-Canadians, ineligible to vote. From this experience Lucky began an ambitious campaign with the help of the Steelworkers and several sympathetic citizenship judges to help immigrants become citizens by bringing citizenship courts into communities.
With only fifth grade education, limited language skills but a desire to work, "Lucky" worked first in construction, then foundries but finally found his calling as a union organizer and advocate for the less privileged.
Former Ontario Premier Bob Rae, Fortunato Rao, Citizenship Court Judge Irena Hungar and a young new Canadian holding Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
On the picket line with workers on strike against Indalex. To Lucky "communication is the name of the game" with the workers.
The Circolo Morgeto, Lucky's social club, every year participates in the Good Friday procession on College Street at the church of St. Francis.
Lucky was also the President of a religious fraternal organization that celebrates the two patron saints of his hometown in Italy. Moreover he is the driving force and President of the social club from the same hometown.
Lucky Rao began to host the Labour Show in 1974 on Rogers' cable tv with the support of the Steelworkers. It ran for twenty-two years. Here he is interviewing Nicolo Fortunato (left), a local politician and the man who suggested Lucky be on television. Jessica Conve (right) was in Toronto to discuss the plight of grape pickers in California.
These local activities are linked with his larger involvement with the Calabrian immigrant community, the largest sub-ethnicity of Italians in greater Toronto, and pan-Italian associations, newspapers, radio and television.
He also created his own weekly cable community Labour Show with the help of the Steelworkers that lasted for over twenty years.
When the actress Sopia Loren visited Toronto in the late 1970s, Lucky interviewed her for the Labour Show. He asked her about unions since she was a member of the actors' union. He said she replied that if workers join the union they have a lot to gain and nothing to lose.
His views of the world, of his status within the community and his activities with Italian community organizations make his story crucial for creating a fuller, more textured picture of immigrant life. His life cannot be seen only as the story a labour radical nor as a country rube sent on a migration journey by circumstances. Fortunato "Lucky" Rao reminds us that in the flow of labour to capital are creative and complex people whose stories need to be heard.
Lucky has been active in many social justice issues. To the right he is pictured with Cesar Chavez of the United Farm Workers.