My grandmother tells me when her mother came to the United States from Italy, the most important object she brought with her was her cornicello necklace. Cornicello, also called corno or cornuto, necklaces are said to protect the wearer from the evil eye and ward off bad spirits and thoughts, and they belong to a greater tradition of Italian superstition and mysticism. I've admired my grandmother's cornicello, the very same one her mother brought from Italy all those years ago, since I was a small child, and recently my mother bought me my very own cornicello. I'm a very superstitious person, and I've taken to wearing my necklace as often as I remember, though my grandmother always reminds me I should really be wearing it every day. Though it isn't a family heirloom in itself, it holds the same significance for me as it reminds me of my family, living and deceased, and the paths they took that ultimately led to me and my life. I myself am a second and third generation American, depending on the side of the family, but I consider it of utmost importance to remember where my family has come from as I move towards my own future.

– Julia Aneiro

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