What is the Slovak heritage we carry with us? Working hard, homeownership, and pursuing higher education are three prominent themes we find in their lives. Our ancestors worked hard in dangerous jobs. These jobs in the textile and paper industries were an essential part of U.S. history. Working hard brought its rewards. Our ancestors owned their homes when less than 50% of Americans did. And they did this on wages of the working-class poor. Education will become our ticket into the middle class but not for several decades. Still, our ancestors must have nurtured the foundations and hunger for education.
You may laugh at our attempts to learn more about Slovak traditions. The Slovak lullabies, our passion for Lokse, the simple phrases of Slovak greeting are essential not for what they are; but for their ability to humble us, to remind us from where we came. We have traveled far.
