Being an Italian American who holds passports for both countries, grew up in the U.S. and moved to Italy later in life, my thoughts on what it means to be Italian American have evolved over the years. Here is what being Italian American means to me today.

Staying connected to my roots while forging ahead to chase my dreams. Our families left Italy chasing opportunities that were not possible for them or us in their beautiful native land. In my case, my grandma didn’t teach my mother Italian, therefore I only heard the language when she was sitting in her chair with the phone to her ear, long distance to Italy.