Margarita Persico

ProGen Member Overview

I have a strong interest in genealogy, particularly in helping newcomers with ancestry. Over the past 1.5 years, I have been focusing on genealogical research in four main areas:
1) Southern Italian genealogy diaspora, specifically from Naples, Forenza, and San Chirico Nuovo who settled in New York and Pennsylvania.
2) The Canary diaspora in Puerto Rico, which arrived with the governor of Puerto Rico in 1695 and settled in various locations in the Caribbean, New York, Texas, Florida, and Hawai'i. This diaspora includes a diverse range of ethnicities, such as American indigenous, European (including Iberian, French, Celtic corridor), Dutch, African, and Sephardic, with collateral research involving individuals of Canary Island and Andalusian origins.
I have been able to compile evidence and family narratives for the Italian and Puerto Rican diaspora in the Americas.
I have been researching and documenting my family history since 1991 and have also helped many others uncover their family history.
In terms of my professional background, I have worked for three Fortune 100 companies in the information technology sector. Later, I transitioned into freelance journalism and blogging, with a primary focus on health and food topics. I am honored to have received the Toastmasters International's District 31 Triple Crown award in Massachusetts four times. I am fluent in English and Spanish and have a working knowledge of Portuguese and basic Italian.