Family Tree

 EDF 2085 -Introduction to Diversity For Educators

Due: 11/9/2012

Family members from all over the globe: Italy, Sicily, Ireland, Norway, England, Poland, Denmark, and Germany. We are a league of nations who proudly describe ourselves as mutts!


A quick glimpse at the fam!

 

Four generations of my family are shown in the following flow chart. Both sides of the family come with a long history and multiple cultures and traditions brought with them from their home countries. These bring us together and set us apart from the rest.

Family History:  The specific reason for travel to the U.S. is unknown for both sides of my family, but it can be assumed that they were looking for a better life with greater opportunities.

  •  On my fathers side My great grandfather Artie DeLuca came from Italy to Ellis Island where he became a welterweight boxing champion nicknamed "The Brooklyn Wonderboy". He met his wife Agnes there who had traveled from poland with the name Sedjwika changed upon entry to Ellis Island.
 
  •  On my mothers side my great great great great grandfather Leonard Long came to america in 1860. He married Mary Stickle whom he met on the boat to baltimore from Kiel, Germany. They went on to raise their family in Maryland.

Cultural Norms and Values: 

My family values family itself as the utmost important thing in our lives.  Family comes before all others.  We love one another and look out for each other.  I don't know what I'd do without the constant support I had from them.  An example of a norm in my family would be the family dinner.  Whether we're eating something home-made, ordered in, at the table, or in front of the TV, we're together.  As Italians, I think food brings us together.  

Family Traditions and customs:

 

 I can sum up my family traditions and customs with one word: CHRISTMAS!

This season of joy and togetherness is what my family is about! We get together through the month of december and celebrate our lives.  Each year our tradition is to have a huge christmas eve party, we've had one every year for at least 10 years now. It's mine and my family's favorite time of year. 

Aside from christmas though, we embrace each holiday fully, this includes birthdays. A holiday is just an excuse to be together, eat (we are Italian after all), and be happy!

 

Over all, family is the most important thing to me.  No matter where we came from or where we'll end up, we always love and accept one another!