Separated From Santo GN

Description

(W) Brian Barazzuol (A/CA) Cam Drysdale

In 1933, Santo and Alice Pasqualini left their native Italy and settled in Vancouver, Canada, to create a new life far away from the burgeoning madness of Europe. The couple opened a bakery and became naturalized residents of their new country, avoiding politics and concentrating on working hard and building a family. Unfortunately, their refuge was short-lived, when Santo was arrested for being an 'enemy alien' and interned first in Kananaskis, Alberta, and then in Petawawa, Ontario. Italian Canadians, similar to Japanese and German Canadians were considered a threat to the country and therefore, these individuals, mostly male, were imprisoned with no release date determined. Santo, a hardworking man who loved his family, lost his bakery, delivery truck, and house. Meanwhile, his wife and children struggled to get by, as he was interned for twenty-four months, with little to no communication between him and his family. Told in dynamic graphic novel form, Separated from Santo depicts an individual who was mistreated, who persevered, and eventually was reunited with his family. Written by the great-grandson of Santo and Alice, this poignant and powerful story is a reminder to see the humanity behind every so-called 'enemy.'