What you will find in Echoes of Growing up Italian are accounts of the immigrant experience as told through the eyes of women. The Italian diaspora is one of the most significant of the 20th century, with a far-reaching impact in the Americas, Australia and Northern Europe. The Italian immigration narrative is a universal one. The stories in this book of the Italian woman in North America and how she learned to survive as she lived with two cultures in her heart and home. This collection provides the reader with a candid glimpse into the lives of fifteen women from across North America: some were born and raised in Italy while some have only been there on holidays; some are mothers and grandmothers and some are single; some only know a few words of Italian, while others are fluent, but we all have a discerning perspective on what it means to live with two cultures.

Gina Valle's parents were born in a small town in Calabria. Before they were 25 years of age, Domenico and Giuseppa moved to Canada and built a new life. Gina understood the responsibility that came with that decision. After completing her PhD at OISE (University of Toronto), Gina went on to found Diversity Matters where she focuses on making Canada a more equitable society for all. She is a writer, producer, editor, director and educator. She is a past board member of The Canadian Race Relations Foundation and the Advisory Council of OMNI-TV. She is a Director at Villa Charities, where she is Chair of Culture. In 2023-2024 Dr. Valle is a Goggia Fellow at the University of Toronto. In recognition of her work in diversity, Gina is the recipient of the Ordine al Merito, and the Queen's Diamond and Platinum Jubilee Medals from the federal government. Domenico and Giuseppa's legacies live on in Gina's children.