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October 22, 2024

Celebrating Freedom During National Italian American Heritage Month

By: Anthony Miragliotta

October is National Italian American Heritage Month! During October, we look back at the many accomplishments, successes, courageous acts, and sacrifices Italian immigrants and the Italian American community have made to help mold America into the exceptional country it is today.

Every Italian has a story that comes from humble beginnings. For me, I am the grandson of Italian immigrants from the island of Sicily. They left their beloved home country to escape the evils of Benito Mussolini’s fascism and strived to have a better life in the land of the free. When my grandparents arrived in America at Ellis Island during the 1940s, they did not have a lot of money; but they did have a lot of hopes and dreams. They knew they had to work hard to achieve those dreams, and working hard is exactly what they did. My grandfather worked as a forklift operator and my grandmother worked as a machine operator.

However, nothing came easy for them. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Italian immigrant discrimination was extremely high. At this time, Italian immigrants were looked at as inferior to native-born Americans mainly because of their immigrant status and religion—the majority of Americans who practiced Christianity identified as Protestant, while Italians were predominantly Catholic. Many Italian immigrants would also compete with lower-class Americans for low-paying jobs. I have heard stories of people spewing profanities at my grandfather simply because of his ethnicity and immigrant status. Even through all this adversity and hatred, that still did not slow down my grandparents.

My grandfather loved America so much, he decided to become an American citizen. He took his citizenship test and passed with flying colors. After my grandfather became a U.S. citizen, he accomplished his biggest dream: to own a small business. My grandfather’s business, Carmela’s Bakery and Delicatessen (named after my grandmother) in downtown Clifton, New Jersey, was everything any Italian bakery could offer, Carmela’s served cakes, bread, pastries, and many other classic Italian desserts. Carmela’s served as a staple in the community for people who stopped by in the morning for their daily cup of coffee before heading to work or wanted to get their children a cannoli for dessert. After all the sacrifice and adversity they went through, my grandparents found and achieved the American dream.

The American dream is still attainable even though it may seem out of reach. So many Americans are struggling to get by because of the rise of basic goods, a lousy job and housing market, and a supply chain in disarray. According to CBS News, the average American has to be making six figures just so they can afford a house, which is a luxury by today’s standards. Millions of Gen Z college graduates, who have an enormous amount of student loans to pay off, are entering an unfavorable job and housing market which is hampering their opportunity to succeed in the real world. In addition, the high cost of living is forcing many Gen Z graduates to move back in with their parents to save up money so they can afford to move out. What society has done to Gen Z graduates is completely unacceptable. Our society is failing so many of these graduates to the point where they wonder what was the point of going to college if they can not find a decent job after graduating. Consequently, many companies are terminating Gen Z employees after employing them for a few months due to their lack of readiness in the workplace. According to Inc.com, “60 percent of companies have cut Gen-Z employees they hired this year.” Combined with large student loans to pay off and companies not giving them a chance to succeed in the workplace, the life of a Zoomer is unsustainable. However, I still have hope for the future leaders of America.

The American dream is not dead. My grandparents were able to achieve it through hard work, sacrifice, and determination. We can all find our American dream by achieving our lifelong goals which will make America a better place for all by leaving a legacy that will last for decades to come.