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.