What does it mean to you to be a Clevelander (by origin or by transplant)

Cleveland is a melting pot of a city. I have a unique (or perhaps, not) experience of having migrated to Cleveland from Romania, a long-time communist country, at a young age.

My family's hope was similar to many others in Romania...to seek freedom from a 42 year communist oppression. The process of obtaining the documents necessary to leave, travel and apply for US citizenship was long and daunting for my parents. After repeated attempts by my father to stop the dictator's motorcade, my mother threw herself, while holding me, in front of their cars and was able to have the dictator sign our "papers", which would allow us to leave. This yearning for a better life led us to Cleveland. A place where one long distance family member in Venezuela owned a large three apartment home on Edgewater, on the near west side of downtown Cleveland.

Little did we know how large of a Romanian population existed in the city. As a matter of fact, at the time, it was the largest Romanian community in the US. This allowed us the opportunity to meet others like us and not feel like we were alone while acclimating to our new home.

During this journey, we spent countless hours at places like the West Side Market and Edgewater Park...

We traveled to St Mary's Romanian church, a beautifully hand painted monument of our eastern orthodox heritage...

I often think about what my life would have been like as a young woman, a teenager, a college student, a wife , a mother in that type of environment. Or, which of these I would never have the opportunity to experience.

I am lucky to be able to call myself a Clevelander. Humbled by the sacrifices my family made to give me and my brother a chance. Simply. I am thankful.

Marked by a historic revolution, the Romanian people spoke and overturned the communist regime in 1989. In the years since, little by little, Romanian has turned into a beautiful, welcoming country.