Born and raised in New York City, I arrived in Rome in 2002 with a plan to stay for a few years so as to better learn the Italian language, teach English, and write from this inspiring and beautiful city. Years later, I guess you could call me a lifer. I now live with my Italian husband, and we are raising two small children here. When I am not parenting, teaching for an online university, reading, or writing, or spazzing out while watching the news, I am looking for ways to safeguard progressive values.

In November 2016, I, along with millions of people across the world, woke up floored to find that hatred, sexism, and bigotry had won, and when I finally crawled out of the ball that I'd rolled up and cried into for two days, I knew that I had to do something--that we had to do something. I had never engaged in any sort of activism before, but as our livelihoods, values, and freedoms were existentially threatened, I could not bear to stay quiet. I soon discovered that I was not alone, and with the help and sweat of dozens of incredible people here in Rome, Women's March Rome was founded.

My hope for Women's March Rome is that we can continue to harness the energy and activism that sprung out of events on January 21st 2017. Women's March Rome is here to stand up and fight for the progressive values that we know are under attack by populist and fascist forces. We know this is just the beginning.