For the people who know me, I am extremely passionate about being an American-Italian. My Italian heritage holds a special place in my heart, and it has shaped the person I am today. I really cannot picture myself being anything other than Italian, and I am damn proud of that.

First of all, my favorite part of being a part of an Italian family is the strong core family values instilled within me since a very young age. For years and years, I remember being with family every weekend and enjoying dinner, laughs and good times. I was taught that family is everything no matter what, whether you fight or make a mistake your family will always be there.

That created a sense of comfort for me as I knew I always had my family to go to for help when things get tough, and I am very grateful for that. From my parents to my aunts, uncles, and cousins, I know I can go to them for absolutely anything and that is special. To me, there is nothing more exciting than spending time with family because there is never a dull moment.

Going along with the family aspect of things, food, of course, has played a big part of my life. I don't care what anyone says, but Italian food is the best in the world, and I am lucky enough to have a family full of phenomenal cooks. Whether I am at my own house or any of my aunts' house, I know I am in for a good meal every day and that is not something I take for granted.

When I was younger, I was home every night at a certain time for dinner, depending on when Dad got home from work, and we always ate as a family. It was important to sit down, enjoy a meal your mom prepped and talked about each other’s days. It is these little things, like having dinner every night at the table, that some people take for granted. As I've grown older, this habit has changed a little bit because of college, work, and other commitments, but every once in awhile when the whole family is home for dinner, it is awesome and I enjoy it thoroughly.

And last but not least, probably the most important aspect of life that has been instilled in me since a young age due to my Italian heritage is respect. Respecting your elders, respecting life, and respecting the decisions you make is of the utmost importance. If you are disrespectful in any way toward anyone, get ready to be grounded. Learning respect at a young age has definitely prepared me for where I am now, and, once again, I am extremely grateful for that.

You might be reading this and may be thinking, “you do not have to be Italian to have all of this taught to you growing up.” And you are 100 percent right, but growing up in an Italian-cultured home, it is the little things like sitting down at dinner, respect, and the strong family values that us Italians take very seriously. I am the person I am today because of these values, and I am beyond appreciative of that.

I'm proud to be an American-Italian because I get to live in the greatest country in the world and celebrate the greatest culture in the word, so what's better than that?