Liliana Tangorra is 39 years old and serves as the vice president of the Ulixes Cooperative, an organisation with over two decades of experience in the tourism and environmental sectors. Her journey within the cooperative began eight years ago as a volunteer, later becoming an employee, and eventually taking on her current role.
The cooperative operates in a challenging territory on the outskirts of touristic cities such as Bari, Polignano, and Monopoli. For years, Bitonto had a poor reputation, making it difficult to promote its artistic and environmental heritage. Today, Ulixes is dedicated to changing that by enhancing the area’s cultural wealth, particularly its agricultural tradition linked to extra virgin olive oil production.
Being a woman in a male-dominated institutional sector has shaped her experience. To many, I am nothing more than a ‘young girl’. We are often called ‘girls’, ‘students’, or ‘young ladies’, as if our professionalism is always in question“, she explains. However, over time, she has overcome these barriers by establishing direct relationships with municipalities and public and private institutions that have gradually come to recognise her work.
Communication has been a key factor in stabilising the cooperative and making its efforts visible. Establishing their headquarters in Bitonto’s historic centre was challenging, as the area had long been considered unsafe and avoided by locals. Although it has been revitalised today, keeping it vibrant remains a complex task. Working in a community is not always straightforward, so she considers training programmes for professionals and users essential.
What she values most about her work is the freedom it provides. “It allows me to decide what I want to do based on my experience and skills, to organise my days, and to design projects that align with our vision. Additionally, my relationship with my colleagues is fundamental. We are like a family, and that, combined with our autonomy when applying for public calls, is the best part of my job”.
Ulixes is part of Confcooperative, a network of cooperatives in the Bari region that collaborates with public and private institutions, from religious organisations to municipal authorities. For her, forming alliances is essential. “Our cooperative has been fighting in this field for 20 years, proving it is possible. Ulixes was founded by three women and one man, demonstrating that women can have a significant impact on fields such as culture and the environment”.