What does America look like? Why is it considered a “melting pot” of nationalities and identities? At any one moment, we enter new social environments, meet new people, and attempt to identify with them. We recall our own ancestry and heritage when talking about ourselves, but do we know who our ancestors are, and what they did? We get caught up in our own, singular identity. We forget the influence of how other cultures have shaped who we are. How far back can we trace our family line in the United States? Our answer to this will speak to our connection with the land, here. Our ancestors can teach us a lot about ourselves. For some of us, they may even embody our spirituality, shaping our beliefs, norms, and soul. 

For others, it may be confusing: who are my ancestors and why does it matter? Investigating our family tree may provide answers to who we are and where we come from. It may inform us of where we are going. We are the past and future. We get to decide—regardless of where we come from—how our heritage has shaped us by choosing our proudest and darkest ancestral lines to best suit our narrative. Nevertheless, it is important to learn our history, to not make the same mistakes as our forefathers, to learn the lessons that have come from before.