Keep Going

Unusual combinations are nothing new to me. My American family story began in 1923. Both my Norwegian and Italian grandfathers traveled through Ellis Island. Just as the two ships that brought my grandfathers, from Oslo and Naples respectively, arrived at the same place, both grandfathers brought identical luggage of sorts — trunks full of dreams. When my Italian grandmother arrived in 1930, she brought with her the same dreams. She recreated the quintessential Italian family - solid and warm, dutiful and loving — grounded in the customs of Italy but set amidst the new stage of a brand new world. Today I visit Ellis Island for the first time, discovering that although my story is one of many; together all the stories form a legacy that is unforgettable. I realize that we truly are Ellis Island.