Rosy Glow – Born This Way

By

Andrew DeMarco

While driving through New Rochelle the other day I was passing a church which had a sign out front previewing the upcoming Sunday Sermon by the Reverend DeQuincy Hentz.  The sign read “Just because you were born this way doesn’t mean you have to stay that way.”  As I was stopping at the next traffic light I realized that Lady Gaga was playing on the radio and she was singing her hit “Born this Way.”  This got me thinking that maybe it was an omen that I needed to get my butt back to church, but then I realized that the sign  was in front of a Baptist Church and I am a Catholic so that  couldn’t be it.  But after some thought I knew it was an omen to write this Rosy Glow so here goes.

Since Lady Gaga was part of this omen let’s take a look at her. We all know that she wasn’t born that way at least we hope not. In fact she was born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta who attended the Convent of the Sacred Heart on the Upper East Side and briefly NYU.  She was determined to make it as a singer and songwriter and after bouncing around from various clubs and getting nowhere she changed and developed her present persona, that of Lady Gaga. Success did not come to her even though the talent was the same as Stefani, but her determination made her adapt and now she has had two successful albums and her fans are known as her “little monsters.” So she changed and did not stay that way and became successful, and here’s to hoping that she changes again. Maybe people will start recognizing her for her talents and not her persona and she can change back to Stefani and be even more successful.

With the recent passing of Maya Angelou this reminded me of another perfect example of being born one way and changing. Her very name was a reinvention, Angelou was born Marguerite Johnson in St. Louis and raised in Stamps, Arkansas, and San Francisco, moving back and forth between her parents and her grandmother. By 17, she was a single mother. In her early 20s, she danced at a strip joint, ran a brothel, got married, and then divorced. But by her mid-20s, she was performing at the Purple Onion in San Francisco. She would go on to become a Professor at Wake Forrest, and was asked by Presidents Clinton and Bush to perform at ones inauguration and the other at Christmas at the White House. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama. I am sure the Reverend Hentz would have thought her a fine example for his sermon.

I then thought of my grandfathers Giuseppe DeMarco and Lucido Capozzola and their tales. Giuseppe was born in a small town in Calabria Italy called Carolei in the province of Cosenza. He was basically born into a peasant family and later married Rosina Perri and had four children. He was determined to make a better life for his family and as the story goes he made 17 crossings of the Atlantic to build that life.  On one of the crossings he brought his oldest son my Uncle Gaetano on another my father and on his 17^th and final crossing his wife and two daughters.  Although he passed away before I was born I have heard enough family stories about him. He came here learned English and made changes and set about to make that better life. Born one way but did not stay that way.

The same can be said for my Grandfather Capozzola who came from Corleto Montforte married had four children and started his own carting business. He too learned English and became a successful business man. He was not born that way but had a desire to change and make a better life for himself and his children.

Just remember that Stefani Germanotta did not stay that way and has provided us, whether you like it or not a unique persona and music. Maya Angelou did not stay that way and has been an inspiration to many and has given us some of the best poetry of late. Finally, my grandfathers, who did not stay that way and provided me and my family with the ability to live in a country where social mobility and the ability to change and improve are not only possible but encouraged.  

I am sorry I did not get to hear Reverend Hentz’s sermon but it all became clear when I realized what he probably said.  I am sure he would be preaching to not let ones present state effect how he or she will live going forward. Change is good and no matter how bad off we are we do not have to stay that way. We should all strive not to stay that way but change for the better and whether that change is big or small does not matter as long as it is for the better and that should give us all that feeling Cousin Bob and the Reverend Hentz would call that ….. Rosy Glow.