Why I Do What I Do

“Where are you from?”

You ask me this, and I’ll definitely pause before I answer.

See, by the time I was 10 years old, I’d lived in 4 U.S. states. And my grandparents and extended family were all from a 5th.

My childhood was a mix of sunny days in California. Sledding in Connecticut. Learning how to ride horses in Texas. And playing with cousins, grandparents, and aunts and uncles in New Jersey.

My Italian-American grandparents were amazingly loving and they strongly shaped my own identity. But I also witnessed the discrimination that they faced for their ethnicity, religion, and education level.

This hurt.

But this also lead me to valuing human connection, empathy, and resiliency above all else.

When it came time to choosing a career, all I knew is that I wanted to travel to other countries. In my teens and 20’s, I lived in Mexico, Italy, and Brazil.

As a kid, I lamented not being strongly rooted in one place. But I learned that I have the ability to grow a community wherever I am.

I do this by telling stories to connect with people. And my life experiences allow me to position myself differently depending on who I’m speaking to.