Dear Mom and Dad, There are billions of families in this world, each different in their own way. And while I have yet to meet a fraction of these families, I can honestly say that I wouldn't trade our family for any of the others. You both gave me the type of childhood filled with love, knowledge and culture. I'm sure you realized much sooner than I did how successful Matteo and I would be when we grew up. Even though we are both still teenagers, I have no doubt that we will succeed in our individual ways, whatever that may be. Few parents can say with certainty that their children will grow up to make an impact on the world, but you have told us time and time again that we will. And now, after spending time researching families and the foundations they are built on, I realized that the only reason Matteo and I will lead healthy, happy lives in the future is because of the environment in which you raised us and the values. you instilled in us. By far the most important aspect of our childhood was the multicultural connotation that accompanied everything you taught us. We were taught to embrace our Italian and Cherokee heritage and never turn away from it. Instead of becoming a simple fact written on a piece of paper, our multicultural heritage has become a part of us; it has become the basis of our being. The more time passes, the more I realize the important role that our multicultural heritage played in our upbringing. As I reflect on my past and look forward to my future, I cannot imagine either without recognizing the continuing presence of my Italian-American heritage. I can say with unwavering confidence that I would be a lesser person than the one in the middle of the paper......read them further. Works Cited Belluscio, Steven J. "Leaving Little Italy: Essaying Italian American Culture." Studies in Modern Fiction 52.1 (2006): 228-31. ProQuest. March 5, 2014Elliott, Gregory. “Important during adolescence. » Family matters: the importance of family in adolescence. Chichester, UK: Wiley-Blackwell, 2009. 28-31. Pekarsky, Daniel. “The role of culture in moral development.” Parenting in America. Np, October 15, 1998. Web. March 4, 2014.Pleck, Elizabeth H. “Rituals, Families, and Identities.” Celebrating family: ethnicity, consumer culture and family rituals. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 2000. 233-49. Schlabach, Sarah. “The Importance of Family, Race, and Gender for the Well-Being of Multiracial Adolescents.” Family Relations 62.1 (2013): 154-74. ProQuest. March 4. 2014