Signora Giovanna can do anything: she sews clothes, crochets tablecloths and knits sweaters. She also grows flowers and vegetables, cooks delicious meals, bakes, and makes preserves and wine. Her six children remember their strict upbringing and know the price of immigration. Her many grandchildren can’t agree on which profession would suit her best if she worked outside the home. Do we know what our mothers and grandmothers dreamt of becoming?

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We may agree or struggle with Giovanna’s unwavering beliefs and her stark view of life. But what we cannot deny is the fierce resilience of a woman caught in the relentless machinery of history, carrying the heavy, often silent burden of immigration with unyielding strength.