MSI Press Blog

  The courage to begin again in a new country is rarely just personal—immigrant parents often carry generations of hope tucked inside diaper bags, lunchboxes, and late-night prayers. They arrive believing that this move will gift their children a better future. But no one tells them how much loneliness might accompany that hope. For these parents, helping their children thrive means becoming translators—of language, culture, bureaucracy, and belonging. They decipher school forms they barely understand, navigate health care systems with unfamiliar jargon, and smile politely when corrected for their accent. At home, they try to hold onto ancestral traditions while making room for their children’s adaptation. It’s not assimilation they fear—it’s erasure. Meanwhile, their children are growing up faster than expected, acculturating in ways the parents can’t always follow. The child becomes the cultural broker, the guide through systems, the bridge across family dinners and PTA meetin...

  June 11 marks National German Chocolate Cake Day, a day dedicated to the beloved dessert with its rich layers of chocolate cake, coconut-pecan frosting, and delicate balance of sweetness and texture. But despite its name, German Chocolate Cake isn’t actually German—at least, not in origin. A Misleading Name with an American Story The cake owes its name to Samuel German, an American baker who developed a dark baking chocolate for Baker’s Chocolate Company in 1852. The product, called "German’s Chocolate," gained popularity, and more than a century later, a Dallas newspaper published a recipe using the chocolate in a layered cake with coconut-pecan frosting. The recipe spread like wildfire, and thus, German Chocolate Cake was born—not from Germany, but from an inventive American kitchen. A Perfect Dessert for Any Occasion There’s something undeniably comforting about this cake. The rich but balanced sweetness, the chew of coconut, the crunch of pecans—every bite is a cele...

  Lauretta Avina Lauretta Avina, an Italian American immigrant, has a deep passion for sharing good food with family and friends. She self-published her first cookbook,  Ricette del Mio Paese , in 2011. At the time of publication, Lauretta had been married for 36 years to her husband, a 24-year Army Veteran, now retired. Lauretta is the founder and president of the Franca Barsi Memorial Scholarship, created to honor her late sister by awarding a scholarship annually to a graduating high school senior. Following her sister’s tragic death due to domestic violence, Lauretta became a dedicated advocate and volunteer, educating others about domestic violence prevention and services. She has served as a guest speaker for various social welfare agencies and juvenile probation Victim Awareness Classes. In addition to her advocacy for domestic violence victims, Lauretta is a staunch supporter of military veterans and their families. She also advocates for students in her role as a Guid...