Our families were part of the more than 4 million Italians who came to America during the late 19th and early 20th century to escape poverty and start a new life. They settled in ethnic enclaves across America, working hard and maintaining the traditions while finding success in the mainstream.

We all have stories about this journey that we either experienced ourselves or heard from our parents and grandparents. Stories of sacrifice, success and, above all, family.Those stories can be writ small, in traditions we shared with our families growing up, or they can be writ large, in our vast contributions to every area of America culture, from food, music, fashion and the arts, to architecture, education, science and more.