• I am the first and second American.
    A tanned, brown eyed, brown haired Italian
    With my curly, unruly, Portuguese hair and strong European nose.

    I am Italian, Portuguese, Catholic
    Forced from the homeland by a depression
    Almost killed in a civil war
    Born from the hate of Communists, sharing a room with 14 people, refusing the mafia, and running away from the stigma of New Jersey

    I am free.
    Portuguese slipped from my tongue and replaced by English in preschool
    A natural born dancer with music ingrained in my soul
    African drums keep time in my heart
    The ocean beckons me to the roots of my coastal families

    I am creative
    in a family of business people
    the constant challenge of finding middle ground
    often pushed aside

    The eldest
    breaking ground for my sisters to come
    fighting battles for them
    protecting them
    going into the unknown

    I am a caring person
    often teased for my efforts and inquisitive nature
    misunderstood, disliked, and an outcast
    but my parents taught me to never give up

    I am shy and loud
    not quite what people are expecting
    making grand Italian gestures with my hands
    my body comes alive when I tell a story

    I am self-conscience
    forever worrying about what others see
    slightly damaged from a terrible divorce
    I hate fighting

    Become my friend and I'll never let you down
    2 am you can call and I'll stay awake
    Ask for a minute and I'll give a mile
    Friend or foe I'll help; I hold strong to my beliefs

    But
    I am not Angolan. I cannot go back to the jungles.
    I am not Portuguese. The traditions never bestowed on me.
    I am not Italian. I can't cook for my life.
    I am not a New Jersey girl. Their mind set so different.
    I am not perfect. Simply someone struggling to find herself in this wide world.

    I am from California. Where I can choose who I want to be.
    Open-minded, submerged in culture, in love with the sun
    I am my own person - made up of different places, cultures, and histories
    But uniquely me.