In light of the 2020 VOD being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2002, I had the life changing honor to go to NIAF’s Voyage of Discovery program (or Gift of Discovery back then). I was just a young college student when I was selected to go on the Voyage of Discovery, and the experience completely changed my life.

Before going on the Voyage of Discovery, I was just an Italian American kid from a working class in South “Philly.” I was in college at the time but did not know what I wanted to do with my life. I had never left the country nor did I every really think I would have the opportunity.