Today we’d like to introduce you to Della Cassia
Hi Della, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I can’t remember a time when I didn’t have a notebook and pen in hand. Growing up in Lebanon during the Civil War, reading and writing helped me escape the world around me and express myself. I wrote pages and pages of poetry and short stories in French and Arabic by candlelight while hiding in a shelter. It kept me entertained but also sparked my love of writing.
That love followed me to the U.S., where I immigrated to Detroit at age 16. Although I couldn’t speak, write, or read English at first, I decided to pursue a journalism career–go figure. Although it’s a challenging career, it’s also the most rewarding, in my opinion, because your words can make a difference and effect change. Journalism is more than a job–it’s a calling that will remain a part of me forever.
Despite being a difficult career to break into, especially for an immigrant like myself, I was lucky to find mentors who supported me along the way and allowed me to spread my wings. During my 10-plus-year career as a reporter and editor, I had the opportunity to meet amazing people and write hundreds of stories and op-eds about important issues that affected people’s lives.
After journalism, I went to the “dark side” by leading the communications and public relations efforts of The Engineering Society of Detroit and later Detroit PBS. While there I created and executed marketing strategies, wrote print and online content, and managed the organizations’ events and digital communications efforts.
Shortly before the Pandemic and due to my growing family, I returned to school and obtained a teaching certificate and a master’s degree and began a new journey as a high school and college educator. I am lucky that I get to combine my love of writing with that of teaching to help students find their voice and express themselves, especially these days with AI and other digital tools that are slowly making writing a lost art.
In addition to teaching, I am also a freelance writer. Through my company, DelCass Communications, I have helped various organizations with their communications and branding efforts. My personal essays and articles have appeared in local and national publications including Literary Mama, Culturs Magazine, The Armenian Weekly, Her View From Home, and others. I also run a blog called The Inspired Immigrant, where I write about motherhood, books, food, and art from a multicultural perspective.
My goal is to grow my freelance business and, eventually, publish my memoir about my journey of survival as an abandoned child, an immigrant, and a caretaker.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Although it has not been a smooth road, it’s been interesting because it taught me grit, perseverance, and an appreciation for the immigrant experience and the struggles we all go through to achieve our dreams.
First, I had to learn the language and mainstream into the culture because when I came here in 1988, America was still known as a melting pot. As such, I had to shed my past and become “part of” the culture or risk standing out and getting bullied or sidelined.
I also had the added burden of getting to know my dad, whom I had not seen in many years, and adjusting to a new life and family. And finally, I had to prove myself every step of the way. I was (and still am in some cases) considered an introvert, which is not a great quality when trying to break into an industry like journalism or convince people to take you seriously. So, yes, there were many challenges along the way, but they allowed me to become who I am today–to rely on myself, trust my gut instinct, and forge my path.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am an essayist and freelance writer. I love to write personal essays that deal with the immigrant experience–whether my own or others. I enjoy finding unique stories and experiences and sharing them with readers. For instance, I wrote a piece about a local Armenian dance instructor who is using her skills to preserve her culture and inspire the next generation of dancers. That piece appeared in Culturs Magazine. I also enjoy writing about my experience as a multicultural mother raising my two American-born children.
I am especially proud of an essay I wrote called “The Blue Duffel Bag: A Journey From Beirut to America” that appeared in Literary Mama. It’s a piece based on my memoir in progress. It was about a bag that my mom used to carry everywhere with her during the war that held our meager possessions. The bag symbolized our struggles to survive and our journey from war to safety.
Finally, I enjoy helping others promote their business and services through my freelance company, DelCass Communications. It’s rewarding when you can use your skills to give others a voice and see them succeed.
What matters most to you? Why?
My family matters to me the most, obviously. My husband and my two children (a daughter, 16, and son, 14) are everything to me. They inspire me and encourage me to pursue my dreams.
My heritage is also important to me. I hid my identity for a very long time because of societal expectations. I finally feel free and emboldened to share my true self and promote my culture through my writings, my blog (The Inspired Immigrant) and, hopefully, someday through my memoir.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dellacassia.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dellacassi_writer/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CassiaDella
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/della-cassia/
- Other: https://dellacassia.substack.com/
