In episode #26 of Roots of Humanity, Drew talks to his Production Manager A.J. about his Italian-American roots. Fresh out of college with several creative writing awards under his belt, A.J. combines his love of storytelling and travel by helping Drew manage a team of 15 editors. A.J. tells what it’s like to share the same last name as one of the biggest Italian mafia families, period. Drew asks him how moving to New York City as an eighteen-year-old helped him feel connected to his ancestors, and how he balances his two identities of being gay and Catholic. A discussion of the suburbs prompts A.J. to share the story of his hometown, Newtown, CT, the site of the Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting. How do activism and traveling intersect? Tune in to hear Drew and A.J.’s thoughts on trekking the Trans-Siberian railway before the war in Ukraine, and how filming in the Hassidic Jewish part of Brooklyn opened their eyes to a world outside themselves.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy