Giorgio & Maria

<p><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>Born into poverty at the turn of the nineteenth century in Calabria Italy Giorgio and Maria dared to dream of a better life. Giorgio a gifted shoemaker crafted elegant footwear for opera singers at the grand Catanzaro Theater and was captivated by a world of music and artistry-a stark contrast to his humble beginnings. He and Maria fell deeply in love and longed for a future together in the United States. However when World War I broke out their dreams were put on hold. Despite his evolving feelings toward his homeland and its monarchy Giorgio dutifully served as a conscripted machine gunner suffering injuries on the brutal front lines of Monfalcone Italy.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>Against all odds he survived. In 1921 Giorgio and Maria set sail for the United States seeking new opportunities in the Italian American coal-mining community of Rivesville West Virginia. Though the town was perpetually cloaked in soot from a nearby power plant it still held the promise of a brighter future. Determined to build a new life Giorgio established a shoe shop handcrafting boots for miners while Maria devoted herself to raising their growing family.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>Together they raised five spirited children-Thresia Queenie; Carmella the Force of Nature; Ralphine the Life of the Party; Frank the Eccentric; and Anita the Consigliera-each forging their own path in a land filled with both promise and hardship. But just as life after World War II began to settle an unexpected tragedy struck forever altering the course of their family's history.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>Giorgio and Maria is a powerful dual story-one about the immigrant experience and another about lives forever changed a century later by uncovering and preserving that legacy. As four sisters delve into their grandparents' journey they not only bring to life a tale of resilience sacrifice and the pursuit of the American dream but also find themselves transformed in the process.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>A poignant tribute to heritage perseverance and the unbreakable bonds that connect generations Giorgio and Maria: Speak Their Names is an unforgettable tale of love family and the lasting impact of honoring the past.</span></p><p></p>