I will fight against racism and misogyny. I refuse to let facism win. I do this in honor of my grandmothers who were forged by volcanoes and emerged resilient and brave.

#Anti-Facist #Anti-Racist #ProImmigrant #Empathy #Education

Because of my grandmothers that came before me, I am resilient and brave. I am volcanic. I will not break, instead, I will transform the earth and the lives around me. In my profession, I will use my skills as an educator to promote empathy and openness to other cultures and peoples globally.

They lived in Buffalo, New York. As an immigrant and the child of immigrants, they were often seen as the ‘other’. Their early lives coincided with a period when American political policy was focused on protecting the interests of native-born people over those of immigrants.

After the war she immigrated to the US. She did not speak English, she did not have a job. She took a boat alone across the ocean to marry a man that she did not know well. My nonna was brave.

Renata Polverino Campanile, my nonna, was born in Caserta not far from Mount Vesuvius. She was born under fascist rule and survived her apartment being bombed during WW II.

Angela Pirrone Ventresca, my grandmother, was the daughter of Francesco and Vincenza who were immigrants to the United States. Her family was from Sicily, in the vicinity of Mt. Etna. She was a migrant worker who picked fruits and vegetables in fields. My grandmother was resilient.