The Evil Eye has always been something that has been used in my family. Whether it was from my father’s Italian upbringing or my mother’s Puerto Rican background it has always been involved in my family. Even though it is a big part of Greek Culture it has played a big role in my family and our traditions. The Evil Eye or as my dad calls it the Malocchio is when someone gives you an envious or jealousy filled stare that curses you with bad luck or misfortune.  The whole point of having the either the hand or in my case the evil eye itself is to help prevent these bad intentions. For my dad, his family always took the evil eye very seriously. To a point where my dad can even sense when someone wishes him bad. When this happens my grandma would perform this little ritual that would tell him if it was a boy or a girl that wished him bad and would help get rid of the curse on him faster. For my mother’s side my grandma gave my mom an evil eye piece of jewelry and from my mom passed down to me a necklace with the evil eye in it. The evil eye is something that I think my family will always take seriously and keep in our family traditions.

– Raquel Procopio

Relationship:  Child of im/migrant Child of im/migrant