I grew up in Buffalo, New York as a first-generation Italian immigrant. My father was an orphan who immigrated from Italy to Canada in 1954, and at 14-years-old, he was completely alone. He didn’t have parents, he didn’t know the language, but he knew he wanted to have a better life. After marrying my mom, who was a US citizen, they moved to Buffalo, had two kids, and started pursuing the American Dream.
So I did. I worked two jobs during both high school and college, and my junior year I saw a job posting for the Customs and Border Protection. Growing up in a border town on the U.S.-Canadian border, I thought it would be cool to try it out, and in 1993—even though it definitely wasn’t your typical summer job for a college English major—it gave me insight into a world I didn’t even know existed and shaped my entire life.
My mom had some serious health issues, and I wanted to be with my family. I started working as an immigration lawyer for the University of Buffalo, but within a year a big firm came calling—offered to double my salary—and I took it. I was young, early in my career, unmarried, and didn’t have any kids. I decided to chase the money, and I switched into private practice in a corporate setting.... [+]It sounds like you were living the American Dream.
I remember standing in the elevator with a female partner who, at the time, was basically the image of my future career. I asked her, “Are you ready for the holidays?” And she looked at me and said, “I don’t have time for that. I’ll celebrate the holidays when I retire.” what I want to do with my life. I don’t want to be a robot that only cares about money and hours and not have time for celebrating the holidays or spending time with my family.”I couldn’t get out of there fast enough.
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