Family History

My family history is a large part of my identity and has shaped much of who I am today. My mother raised my 3 older brothers and myself mostly on her own. As most people see on movies and TV Italians are portrayed as a loud culture that cooks pasta and drinks wine. However, that is an accurate picture of my family. My grandparents were first generation Italian immigrants that were dedicated Catholics and wanted their children to be raised in America. My mother tells me that my grandparents spoke Italian to each other but wouldn’t teach it to my mom and her siblings with fear that they would sound different from the other children. My grandparents believed that American was the promise land and felt it was a dream to call it home.

My mother grew up in a traditional Catholic Italian household. She was brought up to cook and clean while the men in the family provided and worked. She never missed Catholic mass on Sundays and attended an all-women’s school until she graduated high school. But my mother wanted something different for herself and believed she could be just as educated as men. She went to college against her parents’ wishes and received a Master’s in Counseling. She was the owner of a private practice as a therapist for 20 years before passing away. As you can see in the image below my mother and I look very much alike.

This short background illustrates who I have developed into today. Although my mother is no longer here she continues to influence me. My mother pushed us children to understand the value of education because her parents didn’t. My sibling and I have all received a higher education and continue with our family traditions. My brothers and I still continue Italian traditions when I visit home like Sunday dinners and church together. My mother taught me to cook and cooking has continued to be my therapy throughout the years. I watched my mom be a strong independent woman that looked at life as an opportunity to help others. This is one of the main reasons I want to help guide students on their journey. When I was lost my mom at 18 my student advisor helped me not give up on school and encouraged me to believe in myself. I am proud to say I am a loud Italian women that loves to cook and drink wine with my family.